The double crises of COVID-19 and catastrophic bushfires in 2020 exposed underlying fragilities in Australia’s food security, particularly with the sustainability of local supply chains and access to affordable, healthy food in vulnerable populations. Addressing food insecurity offers a visible path towards achieving health equity for Australians, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, ethnically diverse, and low-income populations, who are particularly vulnerable.

This report asks, who is responsible for ensuring food security and resilient food systems in NSW? To address this, the authors reviewed NSW food policy, particularly as it pertains to the sustainability and resilience of Sydney’s peri urban food system. Moreover, food security is a key determinant of health and an indicator of economic stability of households. The authors define a resilient peri-urban food system as one that firstly ensures food security (food is accessible, affordable and healthy and desirable) and secondly, that it is produced and distributed sustainably (including sufficient local production, safe, environmentally sustainable, supporting farmer livelihoods, contributing to the economy).