Abstract
Food systems are the foundation of human health and wellbeing, so understanding and managing the weaknesses and vulnerabilities within complex food systems is essential to society. As Australia’s population ages and grows, and climate change impacts are realized, the need to ensure the effectiveness of food systems will only increase. This chapter aims to contribute to this goal by providing an overview of the dynamics of food systems and food security in Australia, particularly with regards to transport and logistics. Chronic food insecurity is a particular concern in rural, remote and Indigenous communities and is related to the characteristics of food insecure people, the characteristics of their environments and how these interact with each other within the food system. Food security is threatened by structural, infrastructural and management challenges within the food transport industry. Challenges within the industry, which is witnessing strong growth in demand, may contribute to rising food prices and hence chronic food insecurity. Climate change is predicted to severely disrupt food production in Australia, exacerbating these issues. Australia does not hold any food in reserve for use in an emergency; disasters such as an influenza pandemic can cause transitory food insecurity events to which the Australian food system is particularly vulnerable. While the current food logistics system is largely efficient and effective under normal circumstances, its ability to continue operating in the event of a major disaster is questionable. Australian food transport is built around the principle of ‘just-in-time’ movement of freight; this reduces inefficiency under normal circumstances but leaves no margins in the event of a disaster. Climate change will also increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events which may spark transitory food insecurity.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
AFPRG. (2006, February). Creating our future: Agriculture and food policy for the next generation. Agriculture and Food Policy Reference Group report to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra. Retrieved November 14, 2011 from http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/248387/creating_our_future_part_b.pdf.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. (ACCC). (2008). Container stevedoring (Monitoring report no. 10). Retrieved December 4, 2008 from http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/847651.
Australian Logistics Council. (2008, July). Infrastructure programs for addressing supply chain blockages (Final draft report). Retrieved November 14, 2011 from http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/public_submissions/published/files/169_australianlogisticscouncil_SUB2.pdf.
Baker et al. (2009, November). What a waste: An analysis of household expenditure on food (The Australia Institute Policy Brief No. 7). Retrieved November 14, 2011 from http://apo.org.au/research/what-waste-%E2%80%93-analysis-household-expenditure-food.
BTRE. (2003). An overview of the Australian road freight transport industry (Working paper no. 60). Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics http://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/77/Files/wp60.pdf Retrieved 14 November 2011.
BTRE. (2006). Freight measurement and modelling in Australia (Report no. 112), Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics, Canberra, ACT.
Burns, C. (2004). A review of the literature describing the link between poverty, food insecurity and obesity with specific reference to Australia. Retrieved December 4, 2008 from http://www.secondbite.org/resources/documents/A_review_of_the_literature_describing_the_link_between_poverty_food_insecurity_and_obesity_w.pdf.
Burns, C., et al. (2004). Food cost and availability in a rural setting in Australia, Rural and Remote Health, 4(311). Retrieved January 5, 2009 from http://rrh.deakin.edu.au.
COAG. (2008, March). Report to the council of Australian Governments, Council of Australian Governments Reform Council. Retrieved March 26, 2012 from http://www.coag.gov.au/coag_meeting_outcomes/2008-03-26/docs/CRC_report_to_COAG_2008.pdf.
CSIRO. (2007a). Infrastructure and climate change risk assessment for Victoria. Prepared for Victorian Government, Melbourne, VIC. Retrieved February 18, 2008 from http://www.greenhouse.vic.gov.au/CA256F310024B628/0/2021C307264A6473CA2572DD00055CBB/$File/Climate+change+and+Infrastructure+Final.pdf.
CSIRO. (2007b). Climate change in Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT. Retrieved February 5, 2009 from www.climatechangeinaustralia.gov.au/resources.php.
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). (2004). Australia—Our natural resources at a glance, Commonwealth of Australia 2004. Retrieved February 5, 2009 from http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/92603/nrm_at_a_glance.pdf.
Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources. (2006). Business continuity guide for Australian businesses. Retrieved January 5, 2009 from http://www.innovation.gov.au/Pandemic_Business_Continuity/Documents/BusinessContinuityGuideForAustralianBusinesses20060627130327.pdf.
Ericksen, P. (2008). Conceptualizing food systems for global environmental change research. Global Environmental Change, 18(1), 234–245. doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2007.09.002.
Ernst & Young. (2006). North–south rail corridor study—Detailed study report, Commissioned by the Department of Transport and Regional Services. Retrieved February 19, 2009 from http://www.auslink.gov.au/publications/reports/north_south_corridor.aspx.
FAO. (2001). The state of food insecurity in the world 2001, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. Retrieved March 27, 2010 from http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/y1500e/y1500e00.htm.
FAO. (2008). The state of food insecurity in the world 2008. High food prices and food security—threats and opportunities, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. Retrieved November 14, 2011 from ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/011/i0291e/i0291e00.pdf.
FoodLegal. (2008). The need for national food reserves. Submission to Senate Select Committee Inquiry into Food Production in Australia. Retrieved January 5, 2009 from http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/agric_ctte/food_production/submissions/sub06.pdf.
Garnaut, R. (2008) The Garnaut climate change review. Final Report, Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved February 10, 2009 from http://www.garnautreview.org.au.
Harrison, M., et al. (2007). The increasing cost of the basic foods required to promote health in Queensland. Medical Journal of Australia, 186(1), 9.
Haug, A., et al. (2007). A food “lifeboat”: food and nutrition considerations in the event of a pandemic or other catastrophe. MJA, 187(11/12), 674–676.
Hennessy, et al. (2008). An assessment of the impact of climate change on the nature and frequency of exceptional climatic events. Commonwealth of Australia 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2009 from http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/721285/csiro-bom-report-future-droughts.pdf.
Larsen, K. (2008). Sustainable and secure food systems for Victoria: What do we know? What do we need to know? Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab: University of Melbourne.
Meyrick. (2006). National intermodal terminal study. Final Report, prepared for Department of Transport and Regional Services, Wollongong NSW. Retrieved February 18, 2009 from http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/transport/publications/pdf/10781_MA_DOTARS_NIMTS_Final_report_13020_Final.pdf.
Murphy, B., & Timbal, B. (2008). A review of recent climate variability and climate change in southeastern Australia. International Journal of Climatology, 28(7), 859–879.
National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA). (2006). Providing fresh food in remote Indigenous communities. Position Paper, March 2006. http://nrha.ruralhealth.org.au/cms/uploads/projects/providing%20fresh%20food%20%2830aug06%29.pdf.
OECD-FAO. (2008). OECD-FAO agricultural outlook 2008–2017, highlights. Retrieved January 5, 2009 from http://www.fao.org/es/ESC/common/ecg/550/en/AgOut2017E.pdf.
Productivity Commission. (2006). Road and rail freight infrastructure pricing overview. Australian Government 2006. Retrieved March 7, 2009 from http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/47532/freight.pdf.
Quiggin, J. (2007). Drought, climate change and food prices in Australia. School of Economics and School of Political Science and International Studies, University of Queensland. Retrieved January 5, 2009 from http://www.acfonline.org.au/uploads/res/Climate_change_and_food_prices_in_Australia.pdf.
Shannon, C. (2002). Acculturation: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nutrition. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 11(Supplemental: S576–S578).
Sims, R. (2007, September). Infrastructure roadman for reform. Paper prepared for the Business Council of Australia. Retrieved January 4, 2009 from http://www.bca.com.au/Content/101167.aspx.
Stokes J. & Howden M. (eds) (2008). An overview of climate change adaptation in Australian primary industries—impacts, options and priorities. Prepared for Land and Water Australia by the CSIRO Climate Adaptation National Research Flagship. Canberra, ACT: CSIRO.
Treasury. (2010). Australia to 2050: Future challenges. Australian Treasury, Canberra, ACT. Retrieved November 11, 2011 from http://www.treasury.gov.au/igr/igr2010/report/pdf/IGR_2010.pdf.
VicHealth. (2005). Healthy eating—food security investment plan 2005–2010, Victorian Health Promotion Foundation. Retrieved December 6, 2008 from http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/en/Programs-and-Projects/Healthy-Eating/Food-Security.aspx.
Wahlquist, A. (2008, October 11). Longest, hottest drought on record, says Bureau of Meteorology. The Australian. Retrieved March 10, 2009 from http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24478392-11949,00.html.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Keating, A. (2013). Food Security in Australia: The Logistics of Vulnerability. In: Farmar-Bowers, Q., Higgins, V., Millar, J. (eds) Food Security in Australia. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4484-8_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4484-8_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-4483-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-4484-8
eBook Packages: Chemistry and Materials ScienceChemistry and Material Science (R0)