Official Opening of Foodbank Victoria's Altona Warehouse

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands on which this building stands – the Bunurong people of the Eastern Kulin Nation – and pay my respects to their Elders, past and present.

And I would like to thank and acknowledge Bunurong Elder Uncle Mark Brown and Lakeisha Clayton for their warm Welcome this morning.

In 1931 the eminent public servant Harold Winthrop Clapp’s voice was broadcast into the homes of Victorians, across the State’s radio stations, carrying a simple and earnest appeal:

“We must relieve the distress and suffering at our door.”

He was speaking as the inaugural Chairman of the State Relief Committee, formed the year prior in response to the dramatic economic downturn we now know as the Great Depression.

Clapp was pleased to report that the Committee’s efforts up until that point had resulted in the distribution of goods with the total value of 12,000 pounds – about 1.2 million dollars’ worth, today.

The Depression would eventually subside - the generosity and volunteerism of Victorians, however, would not.

As many of you know, the State Relief Committee would go on to become this very organisation.

Great progress has been made since Clapp first made his appeal, yet food insecurity remains one of the most endemic of troubles.

96 years on, Foodbank Victoria remains a steadfast pillar upon which Victorians can lean in their time of need.

In the last ten years, Foodbank Victoria has delivered the equivalent of 100 million meals, 25 million of which were in 2025 alone.

In these uncertain times, distress and suffering remain at our door, and I suspect that you will eclipse this number in 2026.

One of the great privileges of this role is seeing firsthand how Victorian volunteers rally around their communities in times of need.

I have seen it at the Recovery Centres established by communities in the wake of bushfires and floods.

I saw it last year, when I visited your former headquarters and warehouse in Yarraville.

And I certainly see it here today, in this extraordinary new warehouse, in the staff and volunteers gathered before me, and in the pallets of generously donated goods behind me.

You should be proud of your work in building the capacity of Foodbank Victoria to necessitate these 10,000 square metres of workspace.

That Foodbank has quadrupled in size is testament to the near century of work that has been involved, and it has depended on community service and volunteerism throughout our State.

In doing so, you are ensuring that caring hands are reaching out to those in need all across Victoria.

Today, 76,000 Victorians will sit down to a meal they might have otherwise missed, were it not for each of you and the work that you do.

I know that I join these thousands in thanking you for all that you have done for the people of Victoria.

As Patron, I would like to congratulate all who have made this facility possible.

In a few moments, it will be my great pleasure to officially declare this Warehouse open.

Thank you.