Mike's Minute: The Salvation Army's claims about kids and food

The Salvation Army says more than a quarter of kids are struggling for food. 

They talk of food security. According to the 'Sallies' it's bad and it's getting worse. 

Are they telling us over a quarter of kids, 27% of kids to be precise, can't get food? 

The definition they use is the United Nations one: "people having access to safe and nutritious food towards a healthy life". 

That’s the problem with people like the 'Sallies' quoting groups like the UN. What the UN mean in that circumstance is the sort of food security you have in Gaza, i.e. none. 

Or they mean food security in flood prone regions, or drought prone regions. That definition is not designed for wealthy, first-world countries, of which we are one. 

So I fear the Salvation Army are misinterpreting what the UN means, either deliberately or not, and using it for political purposes, like the idea that we can't get access to foods. 

They then make claims around cost, which is of course different to access. Cost can prevent access in the sense you can't afford it. They sight meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables. 

In this they are, in part, wrong as well. 

But, just quickly, they argue that the food we sell to the world should be prioritised first to locals here. They don’t for a moment suggest who would pay for that, but I am guessing the Government. 

So the major income earner for the country should be adjusted until we all get all the meat and butter we want, should it? 

Anyway, to their claim on dairy, meat, and vegetables. Yes, we know why dairy prices are high – that’s actually good for the country. 

Meat can be expensive but doesn’t have to be that expensive and fruit and vegetables are not up in price. In fact, the latest numbers show it's down and in any given season fruit and veges can be a bargain. 

So the upshot of their plea is it is, as always, driven by emotion, not fact, and to be blunt, I don't actually believe in excess of a quarter of all kids in this country don’t get food. 

Part of it will be bad parenting and bad choices. 

To solve a problem, if there is indeed a problem, you need fact, an understanding of the fact and logical, sensible solutions, not emotive, clickbait alarmism that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. 

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