Canberrans in need can receive emergency food relief and other essential items during the ACT lockdown which has today been extended two weeks to Thursday 2 September.
Any Canberran who is significantly and adversely impacted by the lockdown can call Volunteering ACT on 1800 43 11 33 between 9am and 5pm daily. Callers will be linked with a staff member from Volunteering ACT who will place a shopping order on their behalf. Members of the ACT Emergency Services Agency (ACTESA) will then collect their order and deliver it to them.
More information on the service and other available supports is available on the ACT Government COVID-19 website.
The ACT Government has partnered with the Community Info Hub through Volunteering ACT and the ACTESA.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said that this initiative would provide free food and essential items for Canberrans who urgently needed support and cannot feed themselves or their families during the ACT lockdown.
“This is a critical response by the ACT Government, and is available to any members of our community who are in urgent need of support in the form of food relief. Ongoing monitoring of this service will determine if further food relief is provided.”
Emma Davidson, Minister for Community Recovery and Emergency Relief, said this rapid measure would ensure that people in need will have greater access to essentials.
“There are people in our community, such as people with disability and older Canberrans, who are more likely to face barriers to accessing groceries, which is why it’s critical we support people in need to receive essential items during this time,” Ms Davidson said.
“This initiative takes learnings from the Canberra Relief Network to make sure people in need are better supported during this time.”
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) welcomed the establishment of the emergency relief service by the government.
ACTCOSS CEO Dr Emma Campbell said: “Lockdown means that some highly vulnerable people will not be able to access essential goods.
“We have over 38,000 Canberrans living in poverty, including 9,000 children. Many Canberrans and their families survive day to day. Even a short lockdown will leave some individuals and families without funds or capacity to access essential goods. Other Canberrans may be reliant upon people or services that may not be able to support them during the lockdown.
“There also remains a significant cohort of highly vulnerable Canberrans who have still not received vaccinations, including people with disability living in congregate settings.”
ACTCOSS also welcomed the ACT Government’s swift work in ensuring that ACT residents can access the Commonwealth Government’s COVID-19 emergency payment.
ACTCOSS has joined the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) in its calls to ensure that the government extended the COVID-19 emergency payment to all income support recipients.
Dr Campbell said: “Thousands of Canberrans in lockdown on social security payments are excluded from the $200 per week disaster payments because they did not have paid work going into the lockdown. This is despite them being restricted from looking for paid work due to the lockdown.
“The Federal Government must urgently ensure that everyone is living above the poverty line by lifting social security payments. This would reduce the uncertainty and distress of ongoing lockdowns, as well as improve economic stability.”
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