End Food Waste Australia has welcomed draft legislation introduced to federal parliament today to provide tax incentives to organisations that donate food instead of dumping it.
West Australian Senator Dean Smith has tabled a private Senators Bill to amend the tax system by offering deductions to businesses that donate food and essential services, such as refrigeration and transportation, to food rescue organisations.
The creation of the National Food Donation Tax Incentive is the result of extensive collaboration and research undertaken by the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre and KPMG in partnership with food rescue organisations Foodbank Australia and OzHarvest, as well as the Queensland and New South Wales state governments.
It has the potential to provide millions of additional meals each year to those in need. It will also help Australia achieve its goal of halving food waste by 2030.
End Food Waste CEO, Steven Lapidge, said the bill is a critical milestone in their mission to combat food waste and hunger in Australia.
“With more than 7.6 million tonnes of food wasted annually in Australia—70 per cent of which is edible—this initiative is not just timely but essential,” he said.
“One in six Australian adults and 1.2 million children have gone hungry in the past year. This tax incentive will encourage businesses to donate surplus food and essential services, dramatically increasing the support for food rescue organisations and ensuring that surplus food reaches those who need it most."
The proposed tax incentive not only addresses food insecurity but also aligns with environmental sustainability goals by reducing the volume of waste sent to landfills. Businesses will benefit from tax deductions, creating a win-win situation for both the economy and society.
Dr Steven Lapidge will be joining other leading international and national experts at the 2024 National Food Waste Summit in Melbourne later this month on 24 and 25 July, 2024.