Australia May Be Rich in Resources But Its Citizens Are Getting Hungry

A stark study in contrast? Or a bittersweet reality? Australia may be rich in natural resources and its exports of this bounty may have propelled the nation to become one of the global economic leaders, but this abundance unfortunately still can't muster enough plenty to feed its poor citizens.

Welfare group Anglicare Australia, in its State of the Family report released on Tuesday, said around 45,000 households drawing on its emergency relief services don't have enough money to adequately feed their families.

Of this total figure, it was found that adults in 22,000 Australian households had experienced, not only once, on going without food for an entire day, most weeks, to just to make sure their children can be fed instead.

"We were shocked to find that 76% of households requesting Emergency Relief from us are severely food insecure," said Kasy Chambers, Anglicare Australia executive director.

"Adults in one third of these households went without food for a day, most weeks, over a three month period.

Bottomline of the hunger bingeing - parents hold off taking meals so their children can eat.

"Our research clearly indicates that parents try to protect their children by deliberately missing meals themselves and sometimes going without food for a whole day," Ms Chambers said.

"It's shocking that among households with children that are severely food insecure, almost one in 10 reported that children did not eat for a whole day on a regular basis."

Often the culprit for these people to skip meals is because they prioritise trying to meet their other needs.

"Unexpected expenses such as a high power bill, rent increase or car repairs can make people food insecure because food is often the only discretionary item in their weekly budget," Ms Chambers said.

In a separate research earlier released, FoodBank Australia had put Australia's hungry people at a much bigger number count, approximating 680,000 people in NSW alone are struggling to put a decent meal on the table every year.

Two reports, gathered by separate institutions, all too relate one disturbing scenario about Australia - its economic growth may be stable, but its food security is not.

"We think being hungry is pretty horrible, but it means that people aren't going to school or they're going to school hungry," Ms Chambers said. "It means that families aren't going to community BBQs, they're not having friends around, their kids aren't having other kids to visit.

"It's excluding people, it's taking people out of those connections."