VLGA Food Scan Report Mildura Rural City Council Municipality

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Contact

Andrea Sloane Healthy Together Mildura Manager Mildura Rural City Council Phone: 03 5018 8260 Mobile: 04 0052 1781 Fax: 03 5021 1899 [email protected]

The State of Victoria and Mildura Rural City Council do not warrant the accuracy or completeness of information in this publication and any person using or relying upon such information does so on the basis that the State of Victoria and Mildura Rural City Council shall bear no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any errors, faults, defects or omissions in the information.

Background Cadastral and Transport Information © The State of Victoria

SEIFA and Statistical Area data © Australian Bureau of Statistics

To receive this document in an accessible format phone 03 5018 8260 or email [email protected] Except where otherwise indicated, the images in this publication show models and illustrative settings only, and do not necessarily depict actual services, facilities or recipients of services. © Copyright, Healthy Together Mildura, 2013

A jointly funded initiative of the State Government of Victoria and the Australian Government.

Contents

Acronyms and Glossary of Terms ...... viii

1.0 Executive Summary ...... 1

2.0 Introduction and Purpose...... 2

3.0 Background ...... 3

4.0 Demographic Profile in relation to Municipal Food Security...... 3

5.0 Methods...... 4

6.0 Scan Results – Dimensions, Gaps and Opportunities ...... 4 6.1 Health and Wellbeing...... 4 6.2 Natural Environment ...... 7 6.3 Built Environment...... 12 6.4 Economic Environment...... 24 6.5 Socio-cultural environment ...... 28

7.0 Summary and Recommendations...... 30

Reference List...... 32

Appendices ...... 34 Appendix 1- Retail Food Audit ...... 34 Appendix 2- Healthy Food Basket Survey ...... 39 Appendix 3- Take Away outlets ...... 39 Appendix 4- Fresh Food Outlets...... 47 Appendix 5 Liquor Outlets ...... 54

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Tables, Figures, Graphs and Maps

Table 1: Summary of Gaps, Considerations and Opportunities - Health and Wellbeing ...... 6 Table 2: Summary of Gaps, Considerations and Opportunities - Natural Environment ...... 9 Table 3: Summary of Gaps, Considerations and Opportunities - Built Environment ...... 23 Table 4: Healthy food basket cost for four different family types winter 2012 – Victorian Averages across all Healthy Together sites...... 24 Table 5: Healthy food basket cost for four different family types winter 2012 – Averages for stores in the Mildura LGA...... 25 Table 6: Healthy food basket costs for Mildura stores vs. stores in outlying areas ...... 25 Table 7: Percentage of income spent on HFB Mildura LGA vs. Victorian state average ...... 25 Table 8: Percentage of income spent on HFB Mildura LGA vs. Victorian state average based on median wage for a family of four ...... 26 Table 9: Summary of Gaps, Considerations and Opportunities - Economic Environment ...... 27 Table 10: Summary of Gaps, Considerations and Opportunities - Socio-cultural Environment ...... 29

Figure 1: Map of Mildura Rural City Council Municipality ...... 12

Graph 1: Food Retail outlet mix in the Mildura LGA ...... 13 Graph 2: Availability of takeaway and fried food outlets vs. fresh food in the Mildura LGA...... 13

Map 1: Walking access to Take Away Food outlets - Centro ...... 15 Map 2: Walking access to Fresh Food outlets - Centro...... 16 Map 3: Walking access to Fresh Food outlets – Mildura City...... 17 Map 4: Walking access to Liquor outlets – Centro ...... 19 Map 5: Walking access to Liquor outlets - Mildura City ...... 20 Map 6: Walking access to Liquor outlets – Mildura East ...... 21 Map 7: Walking access to Fresh Food outlets – Mildura East...... 22

Acronyms and Glossary of Terms

EFR Emergency Food Relief

HFB Healthy Food Basket

HTM Healthy Together Mildura

LGA Local Government Area

MELP Mildura Eco-Living Park

MRCC Mildura Rural City Council

MSS Municipal Strategic Statement

SSN Sunraysia Sustainability Network

VHFB Victorian Healthy Food Basket

VLGA Victorian Local Governance Association

1.0 Executive Summary

It is well documented that the food we eat can impact significantly on our health and wellbeing. People’s food choices are influenced by a range of factors – and many of these factors are environmental and beyond the control of the individual. The primary purpose of this report is to identify systemic opportunities to facilitate improvements in healthy food supply and access in the Mildura Local Government Area (LGA) through identifying gaps, challenges and opportunities within the local food system.

Information for the report was gathered through utilising the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) Municipal Food Security Scanning Work Book, conducting a retail food outlet audit, undertaking the Victorian Healthy Food Basket Survey and facilitating four community focus groups.

The report findings indicate that the population of the Mildura LGA is relatively disadvantaged in a number of ways which impact on people’s ability to consume a healthy diet. Considering the level of disadvantage in the region it is not surprising that a high number of residents in the municipality are food insecure; that is they ran out of food in the last 12 months and were unable to purchase more.

Despite the region being a major producer of fresh fruit and vegetables many systemic barriers to the supply and access of healthy food were uncovered including the cost and availability of quality produce (particularly in outlying areas of the municipality).

Access was a further issue, with less than one third of food retail outlets selling fresh fruit and vegetables. Numerous focus group participants commented on the difficulty in easily accessing fresh and affordable fruit and vegetables grown in the region. The report findings also indicate that food supply and access is not explicitly considered in relevant Mildura Rural City Council (MRCC) plans and strategies where it could be included.

In summary, MRCC and Healthy Together Mildura (HTM) are well placed to influence the local food system to bring about positive change in the food environment. In the short term the report recommends that the focus should be on: • Developing a coordinated and integrated response to fresh food recovery and redistribution through Emergency Food Relief networks • Supporting and promoting roadside fruit and vegetable stalls in the region • Working with outlying communities and retailers in the municipality to increase access to high quality, affordable fresh fruit and vegetables.

In the medium to long term significant opportunities exist to:

• Where possible, integrate consideration of municipal food security into existing council plans, strategies and policies • Work with strategic planners and councillors to ensure access to food is considered when new residential developments are zoned • In consultation with councillors and MRCC staff develop a process to ensure the health impacts of further packaged liquor outlets are considered in the planning approval phase of proposed new developments

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2.0 Introduction and Purpose

The primary purpose of this report is to: • Identify systemic opportunities to facilitate improvements in healthy food supply and access across the municipality

The secondary purpose of the report is to: • Provide a background and context to the importance of municipal food security locally • Provide a succinct summary of the gaps, challenges and opportunities to enhance municipal food security within the Mildura LGA • Prioritize action for the work of a local food network • Provide an opportunity to determine what further information needs to be gathered to ensure the food security needs of the local community are being met now and in the future • Identify opportunities to integrate municipal food security into local council plans and strategies where appropriate

Food security can be defined as “the state in which all persons obtain a nutritionally adequate, culturally acceptable diet at all times through non-emergency food sources” (Victorian Local Governance Association 2010). The concept of food security encompasses a range of elements, which include sustainable food production, food supply and consumers’ access to food. Local government is ideally placed to develop locally relevant, integrated and long lasting strategies to address the barriers to food security (Montague 2011b).

Understanding the local food system is a key step to improving food access. This report utilizes the Municipal Public Health Planning environments for health framework. It presents relevant information pertaining to food security in the Mildura Local Government Area (LGA), coupled with relevant evidence based information and suggested strategies for addressing food security issues at a local level. The framework considers health in the context of the natural, built, economic and social environments (VLGA 2010), and the identification of gaps, challenges and opportunities in these areas.

Burns et al (2011) suggest that in working to increase municipal food security the focus needs to be on strategies that address food supply and food access issues; rather than on strategies that target individual education and skills development. No one strategy, project, grant or council department can “solve” the issue of municipal food security (VLGA 2010). An integrated approach which focuses on partnership development, both within and outside of council, which considers issues of food supply, access and demand is required.

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3.0 Background

The recent development and release of the National Food Plan by the Department of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries (DAFF 2013), forms the broad policy context in which municipal food security is situated. One of the aims of the plan is to “ensure safe, nutritious and affordable food is available and accessible for all Australians now and into the future…” (DAFF 2013, p.56). Our local food system mirrors Australia’s food system in that it has many elements and players, and interactions between them can be complex (DAFF 2013). Policies exist at global, national and local levels which influence people’s ability to access to safe, nutritious and affordable food. It is hoped that this document contributes to local level policy making to positively support municipal food security and local food production.

In 2011 Mildura was selected as one of 14 local government areas in Victoria to pilot the Healthy Together initiative – a comprehensive approach to chronic disease prevention, initially funded for a four year period. The Victorian Department of Health have developed “Healthy Food Connect” as a model within the broader preventative health initiative to address and facilitate local food system change, focussing on improving healthy food supply and access. As part of the Healthy Food Connect initiative in the Mildura LGA a food network will be formed, comprising a variety of stakeholders from across the local food system. It is anticipated that this report will inform both the priorities and areas of action for the food coalition. Together with MRCC and HTM, the local food coalition will take a lead role in working towards improving municipal food security.

4.0 Demographic Profile in relation to Municipal Food Security

The Mildura LGA is located in far North West Victoria and covers an area of 22,107 square kilometres, making it the largest geographical LGA in the state. The population of the Mildura LGA is 50 979 people which is comprised of a higher proportion of children aged 0-14 years and a higher proportion of adults aged 65 years and over than the rest of the state (Department of Health 2012). Approximately 4% of the total population identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander which is significantly higher than the state average of 0.74% and ranks as the second most populace LGA for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Victoria behind the Swan Hill Rural City Council (Department of Health 2012). While the overall percentage of the population born overseas is low (10.8%) compared to the state average (27.7%), over half of new settlers to the region arrive on humanitarian visas, the highest rate in the state (Department of Health 2012). The Mildura LGA is a designated primary settlement area for newly arrived refugees.

Mildura is Victoria’s twelfth most disadvantaged LGA out of 79 LGAs in Victoria. The unemployment rate is above the state average (7.6% vs. 5.4%), median household income is well below the state average ($878 vs. $1,216), the percentage of people who have not completed year 12 is much higher than the state average (65% vs. 43.7%) and there are a high percentage of low income individuals and families residing in the municipality. Furthermore, 18.2% of families in the region are one parent families, which is higher than the state average of 15.5%. The number of people in receipt of the disability support pension in the Mildura LGA is also relatively high compared to the state average (98.2 persons per thousand compared to 55.7 persons per thousand) (Department of Health 2012). All of these demographic statistics have a significant impact on municipal food security and actions for address at a local level.

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5.0 Methods

In 2010 the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) developed a Municipal Food Security Scanning Work Book to guide local governments in the collection of relevant information regarding the dimensions, gaps and opportunities for municipal food security. The rapid assessment procedure outlined in the workbook was used to gather the majority of the information included in this report. Further information was gathered using the following methods: • A retail food outlet audit tool (See Appendix 1) • The Victorian Healthy Food Basket Survey (See Appendix 2) • Four community focus groups and a number of key informant interviews

6.0 Scan Results – Dimensions, Gaps and Opportunities

6.1 Health and Wellbeing

Despite the Mildura region being one of the nation’s largest growers of fresh produce, only 4.4 % of males and 9.6% of females in the region met the dietary requirements in the national guidelines for daily vegetable consumption in 2008. Similarly, only 50.6% of females and 33.1% of males in the region met the daily recommendation for fruit consumption (Department of Health 2011).

Low fruit and vegetable consumption rates have been linked to increased blood pressure, raised blood cholesterol levels and high rates of obesity (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2008). The rate of obesity in the region is above average. Of the adult population 56.9% in the Mildura LGA are either overweight or obese, which is higher than the state average of 48.6% (Department of Health 2011).

A strong link exists between the experience of food insecurity and obesity in women. Burns (2004 p. 4) found that Australian women who are food insecure are 20-40% more likely to be obese, regardless of income, lifestyle behaviours or education level.

Food insecurity exists whenever “the availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or the ability to acquire acceptable food in socially acceptable ways is limited or uncertain" (Radimer 2002). The three components to food insecurity are food access, food availability and food use (World Health Organization 2011). In this report, the focus is on the food access and food availability components.

In 2011, 9.3% of the population in the Mildura LGA had experienced food insecurity in the preceding twelve months. This equates to 5,053 adults in the municipality, but does not take their dependant children into account – therefore the figure is likely to be much higher. This compares to the Victorian state average of 6.0% (Department of Health 2011).

Food insecurity is a serious public health issue. Food insecurity impacts on more than physical health, it also adversely affects mental health, social wellbeing and leads to social exclusion (Montague 2011a). Children who are raised in food insecure households are sick more often, experience poorer general health, are more likely to miss days of school and are more likely to have behavioural problems (Ramsey et al. 2011) than children living in food secure households. Three focus group participants indicated that they had kept their children home from school in the last six months because they did not have food to send with them to school (HTM 2013d).

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Sectors within the Australian community known to experience higher levels of food insecurity include: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, the unemployed, single parents, recently arrived refugees and people with a disability (Gallegos, Ellies & Wright 2008; King et al. 2012; Montague 2011a). This is important in a local context as there are high numbers of people in all of these identified vulnerable groups in the Mildura LGA.

Interestingly, most focus group participants (across all four focus groups) self-rated their knowledge of what constitutes healthy food and skills in the preparation of healthy food quite high on a scale of 1-10. According to many participants, they have the knowledge and the skills to prepare healthy food but not the financial resources. “I have the knowledge and skills to cook healthy food, just not the finances, if we had the finances we could eat healthier than we do” (Healthy Together Mildura 2013d).

However, taking a step further back from cooking and preparing healthy food, a healthy food life course can begin at birth.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is the primary source of nutrition for infants and has been shown to have higher protective factor than the baby formula alternatives. Breastfeeding has been shown to be protective against a range of childhood conditions including asthma, gastrointestinal disorders, sudden infant death syndrome, and overall infant mortality.

Breastfeeding rates in the Mildura LGA are below the state average. In 2008-9 44.2% of infants in the Mildura LGA were fully breastfeed at 3 months compared to a state average of 51.4%. Similarly, at six months 31.2% of Mildura infants were fully breastfed in comparison to the state average of 37.9% (Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development 2010).

While there are a number of “Breastfeeding Friendly” locations exist within the Mildura LGA in a community setting, there are very few accredited breastfeeding friendly workplaces and while the Mildura Base Hospital (the only maternity service in the municipality) is working towards becoming an accredited breastfeeding friendly hospital, it is yet to reach this status.

The Mildura Best Start Partnership has increasing breastfeeding rates in the municipality as one of its identified priority areas.

A summary of the gaps, considerations and opportunities around health and wellbeing can be found in Table 1.

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Summary

Table 1: Summary of Gaps, Considerations and Opportunities - Health and Wellbeing

Dimensions – Gaps Considerations Opportunities

Support Emergency Food Relief (EFR) providers through the development of a community food share SEE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Food security is a public health issue with far reaching health Develop and maintain a list of local EFR providers (including soup A relatively high proportion of the community and wellbeing implications for adults and children forced to kitchens and drop-in meal services) to be made widely available to experiences food insecurity endure it including poor physical and mental health and social individuals, agencies and schools in the region through existing exclusion networks

Assist to facilitate coordination of services between local EFR providers SEE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Undertake specific consultation with these groups to determine if The elderly and disabled are more likely to barriers to local food access exist experience difficulties with food access – a high MRCC to ensure that food access is considered and in the Access proportion of people in the municipality are aged 65 No specific consultation took place with either of these groups as and Inclusion Plan 2014 – 2018 years and over and a relatively high proportion of part of the scanning process people are in receipt of the disability support Work with the MRCC Disability Access and Advisory Committee to pension identify and pursue opportunities to improve access to affordable, fresh, nutritious food for people with disabilities in the municipality

Develop and initiate strategies to increase affordability and access to locally produced fresh fruit and vegetables Low fruit and vegetable consumption rates are associated with Low fruit and vegetable consumption rates increased levels of chronic disease and higher obesity rates SEE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

SEE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Support the local Best Start Partnership in increasing local Relatively low breastfeeding rates at 3 and 6 The Mildura LGA is an enhanced Best Start Site with a priority breastfeeding rates SEE ALSO SOCIO CULTURAL months area being the improvement of breastfeeding rates ENVIRONMENT

Food security is not specifically considered in Economic and physical access to food are important Consider how food security could be integrated into the next the Municipal Early Years Plan 2010 – 2013 determinants of what families eat Municipal Early Years Plan.

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6.2 Natural Environment

The Mildura Region is a significant food bowl for Victoria and Australia more broadly and produces: 98% of Australia’s dried grapes, 74% of Australia’s table grapes, approximately one third of Australia’s navel orange and grapefruit crop, 20% of Australia’s wine grapes, a variety of vegetables (including lettuce, carrots, asparagus, zucchini, squash, capsicum, chilli, eggplant and mushrooms), a significant proportion of Australia’s almond and pistachio harvest as well as olives and olive oil (Mildura Development Corporation (MDC) 2012) .

Mildura is also home to agricultural association peak bodies, namely the Australian Table Grape Association and the Australian Dried Fruits Association (MDC 2012).

The region hosts a number of research and development organisations including the Murray Darling Freshwater Research Centre, the National Centre for Sustainability and Mallee Sustainable Farming. Local food production and associated manufacturing (such as fruit and vegetable juicing, wine production and citrus and dried fruit packing) are significant industries in the region.

While the district has a strong history as a food producing area, in the last five to ten years many local farmers have left the land due to poor market prices (particularly for citrus and wine grapes) and a period of prolonged drought.

In general, focus group participants felt that food producers in the region were not well supported and that although we are living in a food bowl, there is limited access to locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables:

“Farm-gate sales should be better supported, there are great farm-gate outlets out there but not enough, and they are not accessible for people without their own car. The farm-gate outlets need to be better promoted” (HTM 2013a)

“The supermarkets rip growers off and there isn’t much local produce in our supermarkets” (HTM 2013b)

“Local fruit and vegetables are really good but you just can’t buy them at the supermarkets” (HTM 2013d)

The general perception of focus group participants was that local farmers were “doing it tough” and that one way to support them more as a community was to purchase more local produce – however this was seen as difficult without an easy, central access point to purchase local fruit and vegetables.

At present there is no coordinated action at a local level to capture and redistribute excess and over-run produce from growers or packing houses to local EFR providers.

“Why aren’t there any food banks in Mildura? There are lots of food rescue organisations in Melbourne” (HTM 2013a).

“There seem to be lots of barriers to food donation – such as a central place to donate food” (HTM 2013a).

“You see so many fruit trees with wasted fruit that isn’t picked just dropping to the ground when you walk around town – we need to do something about that” (HTM 2013a). This was identified as a priority area by a number of focus group participants.

There is only one operational community garden that currently exists in the region – the East End Community House garden (located in Dove Place, Mildura), however, a second one is in the planning. The Sunraysia Sustainability Network (SSN) have secured funding and developed plans for a community garden as part of the Mildura Eco Living Park (MELP), located on Ontario Avenue. This facility will house a large number of community garden plots for both individuals and community groups, and will run education sessions in composting, propagation and fruit and vegetable growing.

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The Mildura Regional Waste Management Group (MRWMG) has recently completed a successful road side collection composting trial and is currently undertaking a Food Waste Avoidance Trail utilising free household waste avoidance kits. According to the MRWMG, one of the major barriers to the extension of the organic composting trail across the municipality is the cost of kerbside bins for all households.

Currently, ways of supporting people to produce their own food is limited. Explicit consideration in policy documents, for example, the Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS) and in MRCC disaster planning documents could be one way of moving toward minimising food insecurity within the Mildura LGA.

A summary of the gaps, considerations and opportunities around the natural environment can be found in Table 2

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Summary

Table 2: Summary of Gaps, Considerations and Opportunities - Natural Environment

Dimensions – Gaps Considerations Opportunities

Access to local produce on a household or commercial level is limited. Undertake a scoping exercise with large local commercial food It takes more time and effort for commercial food premises in the premises (ie. Nursing homes, hospitals etc) to determine the Mildura LGA to source local produce than it does to place an interest level, barriers and opportunities to sourcing local order for produce from the Melbourne/Adelaide fruit and produce. Food production and manufacturing are vegetable market. Explore the potential to increase promotion of and access to significant local industries Many farmers have experienced difficulty in accessing financially local produce for householders, tourists and commercial food viable markets for their produce in recent years leading to a premises within the municipality number of producers leaving the land Work with local retailers to increase the amount of local Centralised and up-to-date information about the location and produce sold in supermarkets and stores availability of local produce does not exist for locals or tourists (ie. Farm gate maps etc.) Programs to support household food Support community led interventions to increase household

production exist, but are in their infancy food production through SSN

In recent years, a large amount of local produce (particularly citrus) has been dumped due to the absence of an economically viable market.

One initiative exists to rescue food waste on a very small scale No co-ordinated action at a local level to Further investigate developing a community food share as a from local supermarkets in conjunction with Second Bite. capture and redistribute excess produce from coordinated way of capturing and re-distributing excess and growers or packing houses to local EFR No large scale initiatives exist to rescue and redistribute over-run fresh produce to those within the community providers excess/over run produce from local growers or packing houses experiencing food insecurity to local EFR providers. This is despite a significant number of packing houses and local growers

MRWM group recently trailed initiatives to reduce household food waste across the municipality

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Opportunity for high level strategic partnerships to be developed with major industry organisations in relation to both A number of major food industry organisations increasing the amount of local produce sold locally and the are based in the Mildura LGA coordinated rescue of excess produce from growers to be re- distributed through EFR providers

Imbed Food Sensitive Planning and Urban Design (FSPUD) Food security is not currently explicitly principles into the MSS considered in the MRCC MSS or in Disaster Review current emergency planning and response planning strategies/documents documentation and post-emergency recovery processes to ensure they include consideration of Municipal Food Security. Food security is not currently specifically Consider including specific mention of food in the next MRCC mentioned in the MRCC Environmental Environmental Sustainability Strategy Sustainability Strategy 2010 - 2015

Reduction of food waste across the municipality could Further investigate options for a community food share significantly contribute to lowering municipal greenhouse gas emissions Consider including the reduction of food waste in the next Greenhouse Action Plan Food is not specifically mentioned in the MRCC Green house gas emissions as a result of food transport could Greenhouse Action Plan 2007-2012 be reduced through sourcing and using more local produce in Consider including the and reducing of food transport the MRCC operated and community and business sector emissions through facilitating greater access to local food facilities. markets for local growers and developing local food procurement policies for MRCC departments

MRWMG recently undertook two trials to reduce municipal organic waste: Support MRWMG in further initiatives of this type Household food waste has been identified as a • A composting trial for organic food waste with problem Work with MRWMG to promote the use of food waste households in Merbein and Gol Gol avoidance kits with community members • The distribution of food wast avoidance kits

Utilising MRCC land and planting strategies Consider including the provision of edible plantings in the next Edible plantings on council owned land and in urban landscapes have not been considered in providing for MRCC Urban Tree Strategy. The current strategy runs until could potentially contribute to Municipal Food Security Municipal Food Security 2015.

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A large community garden is planned for the MELP with Support the SSN in developing the MELP and associated fresh associated initiatives (seed collection, composting workshops food based initiatives Only one community garden is currently etc) operational within the municipality Work to support Ouyen Secondary College in gaining Ouyen Secondary College has allotted space at the school for community support for the initiative as part of a broader the purpose of a community garden – there has been very little approach to the food system along the Mallee Track interest from the community in taking up this opportunity

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6.3 Built Environment

The built environment forms the backdrop to our lives. It impacts on our senses, emotions and opportunities to partake in community life. There is a lot of evidence to suggest strong links between the built environment and individual and population level health and wellbeing. The built environment includes various characteristics: the quality of infrastructure, public spaces, a sense of safety and amenity, as well as the availability of healthy foods and health promoting services (Department of Human Services 2001). Local and state laws, urban planners and councillors can have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of communities in this domain.

Figure 1: Map of Mildura Rural City Council Municipality

Between January and March 2013, an audit of all food retail outlets in the municipality selling food for consumption at home was undertaken.

Graph 1 clearly demonstrates that take away food outlets dominate the food landscape in the municipality. There is a combined number of 48 fresh food stores (baker, butcher, farm gate, green grocer and supermarket) compared to 71 take away stores.

Of the 48 fresh food stores and the 71 take away stores, only 31% sell fruit and vegetables compared to 69% that sell fried food – See Graph 2.

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These findings indicate that fried food is twice as accessible and available than fresh fruit and vegetables. The high access of fried food and low access to fresh fruit and vegetables is most likely contributing to the escalating obesity rates within the municipality. Swinburn et al (2011) links the simultaneous increases in obesity across Australia and most other countries to changes in the global food system, which is producing “more processed, affordable, and effectively marketed food than ever before”.

Graph 1: Food Retail outlet mix in the Mildura LGA

Graph 2: Availability of takeaway and fried food outlets vs. fresh food in the Mildura LGA

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One of the major physical constraints to acquiring adequate food in Australia is access to transport, more particularly access to a car (Burns et al. 2011). Car ownership significantly influences where consumers are able to shop for food (White 2007). Without a car people are limited to accessing food retail outlets within walking distance or on public transport routes, which may not sell the quality or type of food required for a healthy diet. The elderly or those with a disability [who are more likely to have reduced physical ability to carry groceries] are further disadvantaged in terms of their ability to physically access food (Burns et al. 2011).

Although Mildura is a food bowl, fresh food access across the municipality is limited. There is a large “food desert” (which is defined as a residential area in which individuals need to walk > 400 meters to access fresh food) in Mildura East, yet access to take away food in this area is prevalent - See Appendix 3.3 and 4.3. Other significant food deserts exist on the east side of Red Cliffs, the west and south sides of Mildura – See Appendix 4 for geographical fresh food maps. Road side stalls provide important points for fresh food access for residents. Through support and publicity of farm gate sales, access to fresh, cheap produce could be far greater.

Additionally, the Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), an index developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics that ranks areas in Australia according to relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage based on census data down to residential area level, appears to have no influence on the number of takeaway, fresh food or liquor outlets or their positioning across the municipality.

Proximity of Schools to Fast Food Outlets

“Good evidence exists for an association between the co-location and advertising of unhealthy food options near schools, suggesting policies to reduce fast-food exposure in the vicinity of schools are justified” (Kent et al 2011 in Montague 2011a, p.11). Within the Mildura LGA there are 27 schools within walking distance of takeaway outlets. Map 1 below, shows 6 schools and 1 preschool within a 400metre radius of retail outlets selling take away food. Map 2 shows that in the same geographical area, there are no schools within walking distance to fresh food stores. Map 3 demonstrates that only one school and one preschool are within walking distance to fresh food outlets.

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Map 1: Walking access to Take Away Food outlets - Centro

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Map 2: Walking access to Fresh Food outlets - Centro

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Map 3: Walking access to Fresh Food outlets – Mildura City

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Packaged Liquor Access

Individual and population level consumption of alcohol is driven by a range of social, economic, geographical and historical factors (VicHealth 2012).

A recent Victorian study found that having access to a greater number of alcohol outlets within a kilometer radius of your place of residence increases your risk of drinking at levels associated with short-term harm (Kavanagh & Krnjacki 2011).

Risky levels of alcohol consumption have been linked with injury, accidents, violence and over 200 physical and mental illnesses (VicHealth 2012).

15.4% of the adult population in the Mildura LGA drink alcohol at levels that place them at risk of short term harm compared to 10.2% of the adult population across Victoria (Department of Health 2012).

The findings of this scan indicate that there are 93 outlets where packaged liquor can be purchased in the Mildura LGA (Department of Justice). This equates to approximately one outlet for every 407 residents aged 18 years and over. By comparison, Bendigo, another regional Victorian city, has 65 outlets that sell packaged liquor or one for every 1180 people aged 18 years and over.

There are two areas in the Mildura LGA with a high density of packaged liquor outlets - Mildura Centro (Map 4) and Mildura City (Map 5). In comparison, outlets that sell packaged alcohol are far more accessible than outlets that sell fresh food, as Maps 2 and 4 clearly demonstrate. As mentioned above, Mildura East is considered a food desert. Maps 6 and 7 compare the access to fresh food and access to liquor. There are 6 liquor outlets within the “food desert” geographical area. In Mildura East, liquor is six times more accessible than fresh food.

See Table 3 for a summary of gaps, considerations and opportunities for the built environment. – Page 24

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Map 4: Walking access to Liquor outlets – Centro

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Map 5: Walking access to Liquor outlets - Mildura City

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Map 6: Walking access to Liquor outlets – Mildura East

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Map 7: Walking access to Fresh Food outlets – Mildura East

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Summary

Table 3: Summary of Gaps, Considerations and Opportunities - Built Environment

Dimensions – Gaps Considerations Opportunities

Work with take away food outlets close to schools to encourage the provision of healthy options A significant number of schools in the district HTM to work with other Healthy Together sites across the are within a 400m radius (walking distance) to state to determine the prevalence of take away food outlets shops selling takeaway and fried food within walking distance of schools and provide this information to the Department of Health for review and possible action at a state laws level in the future. There is no provision for the consideration of Consult with local Councillors and strategic planners about the access to fresh food for new housing best way to ensure that food is considered when new residential developments in council by-laws. developments are zoned.

A number of “food deserts” exist in the Work with existing food retailers in these areas to support a

municipality trial of the introduction of fresh food sales in selected outlets.

Support and promote road side fruit and vegetable stalls as important access points to fresh fruit and vegetables for Roadside food stalls are an important aspect of residents. the local food system in terms of increasing the

availability/access to fresh fruit and vegetables Consult with the MRCC Environmental Laws Department and in the municipality Councillors to determine if local laws could be amended to allow the sale of locally produced fresh fruit and vegetables within the urban boundary There is no provision for the development of Work with MRCC to develop community gardens within food

edible plantings on MRCC maintained land deserts

A higher than average number of adults in the Mildura LGA drink MRCC to consider a coordinated and integrated process for at levels associated with short term harm High number of packaged liquor outlets located assessing liquor licence applications that involves input from within the municipality 93 outlets selling packaged alcohol are located in the Mildura the planning department, police and health promotion LGA compared with 65 outlets in the City of Greater Bendigo representatives area

VLGA Food Scan Report 23

6.4 Economic Environment

As outlined in section 5.2, the Mildura LGA is a significant food bowl for the state and nation. The region is also home to food processing and packing plants including, wineries, fruit and vegetable concentrate producers, Australia’s largest orange packing plant and largest dried fruit processor. The agriculture, forestry and fishing industry contributes $439.8 million dollars to the economic output of the region annually (MDCorporation 2012).

Somewhat paradoxically, although Mildura is a food bowl, not everyone in the region has access to the amount, type or quality of food they require to feed themselves and their families. The cost of food is a significant barrier to access in the Mildura LGA with 42.7% of the population reporting that the price of food means they aren’t always able to access the type of food they want. This is significantly higher than the state average of 28.3% (Department of Health 2011).

Community focus group participants echoed this statistical finding with many stating that the cost of food was the major barrier to accessing the type and amount of food they want to feed their family;

“I want to feed my children more fruit and vegetables but I can’t afford to” (HTM 2013d)

“Cost influences what I buy big time” (HTM 2013b).

Community members identified local roadside fruit and vegetable stalls as vital sources of fresh, cheap produce.

Access to an affordable and nutritious food

Access to an affordable and nutritious food supply has been recognised as an important determinant of people’s nutrition and thus health outcomes (Palermo, CE et al. 2008). Food costs in Australia rose 3.9% between 2007-2008 (Ward et al. 2013). Furthermore, the cost of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and legumes have been found to be higher and more variable in price than the cost of energy dense, nutrient poor unhealthy foods (Palermo, CE et al. 2008).

The Victorian Healthy Food Basket (VHFB) survey is based on a basket of food that provides healthy food choices and represents the typical purchases of Victorians. It also assesses the affordability of a healthy diet over time and allows comparison between different areas of the state. The basket provides enough food to meet the nutritional needs of four different family types for a fortnight.

These reference families include a ‘typical family’(44 year old male and female, 18 year old female & 8 year old male), ‘single parent family’ (44 year old female, 18 year old female & 8 year old male), ‘elderly pensioner’ (71 year old female) and a ‘single adult’ (adult male > 31 years)i.

Table 4: Healthy food basket cost for four different family types winter 2012 – Victorian Averages across all Healthy Together sites

Intervention Areas (n=52 stores across 14 LGAs) Mean Standard Deviation

Basket cost for ‘Typical’ Family of four $430.41 ± $42.47

Basket cost for single mother family $293.11 ± $28.93

Basket cost for single elderly woman $103.08 ± $10.48

Basket cost for single male $137.39 ± $13.45

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Table 5: Healthy food basket cost for four different family types winter 2012 – Averages for stores in the Mildura LGA

Intervention Area = Mildura LGA (9 stores) Mean Standard Deviation

Basket cost for ‘Typical’ Family of four $453.34 ± $20.77

Basket cost for single mother family $308.31 ± $14.85

Basket cost for single elderly woman $108.50 ± $4.96

Basket cost for single male $145.39 ± $6.60

Table 6: Healthy food basket costs for Mildura stores vs. stores in outlying areas

Family Type Mildura Store Average Outlying Store Average (Postcodes: 3500, 3501) (Postcodes:3505, 3496, 3490) n = 4 n = 5

Basket cost for ‘Typical’ Family of four $442.73 $466.59

Basket cost for single mother family $299.98 $318.73

Basket cost for single mother family $105.83 $111.83

Basket cost for single elderly woman $143.45 $147.75

Table 4 demonstrates that on average, it is more expensive to purchase a healthy food basket (HFB) in outlying areas of the municipality across all family types than it is to purchase a HFB in Mildura. This was highlighted by a focus group participant who stated, “What you save on a full shop in Mildura compensates for the price of petrol” (HTM 2013c).

Clearly this has implications for actions to address food security across the municipality and indicates a need to focus on affordable healthy food in outlying areas. This is particularly so for more disadvantaged members of outlying communities who are elderly, disabled or do not have private transport and therefore have less ability to access supermarkets in Mildura.

The average Australian family spends approximately 17% of their income on food, while a family in which no- one is employed and relies on government benefits spends approximately 30% of their income on food, on average (Palermo, C. et al. 2008, p. 7). Spending 30% or more of income on food is classified as being under “food stress” (Palermo, C. & Wilson 2007)

Table 7: Percentage of income spent on HFB Mildura LGA vs. Victorian state average

Family Type Mildura LGA Victoria

‘Typical’ Family of four (government 33.4% 29.8% benefits)

Single mother family 29.2% 27%

Basket cost for single elderly woman 15.6% 14.8%

Basket cost for single male 29.7% 27.6%

VLGA Food Scan Report 25

Table 8: Percentage of income spent on HFB Mildura LGA vs. Victorian state average based on median wage for a family of four

Family Type Mildura LGA Victoria (% of median wage spent on (% of median wage spent on HFB) HFB)

‘Typical’ Family of four 25.8% 17.7%

Table 8 demonstrates that a ‘typical’ family of four (calculated using the VHFB methodology) in Mildura that earns the median wage of $878 per week (and is not in receipt of any government benefits) would spend 25.8% of their income on a HFB. In comparison, the same family of four would spend 17.7% of their income on food based on the median Victorian wage at the average price of the HFB across Victoria. This is a significant difference.

These figures coupled with the high rate of food insecurity and the high number of families in the region in receipt of government benefits, who experience food stress, highlights the importance of making affordable fresh produce available across the municipality a high priority.

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Summary

Table 9: Summary of Gaps, Considerations and Opportunities - Economic Environment

Dimensions – Gaps Considerations Opportunities

Develop and maintain a list of all local EFR providers both electronically and in print for community wide distribution High rate of food insecurity and the demographic SEE HEALTH AND WELLBEING profile indicates that a number of groups that are A number of EFR providers operate in the district but there is vulnerable to food stress and food insecurity little coordination of local efforts Include EFR providers on the local Food Network and consider reside in the municipality the facilitation and resourcing of a working group with the specific purpose of considering issues associated with food insecurity in the region Food transport costs to outlying areas are likely to be higher. Work with local residents and retailers in outlying areas of the Residents in outlying areas of the municipality Lack of retail competition in outlying areas municipality and local food producers to develop innovative report decreased access to high quality, low cost Transport access and the cost of petrol is a limiting factor for low and cost effective solutions to increasing access to high fresh fruit and vegetables income and vulnerable groups residing in outlying areas of the quality, low cost, local fresh produce municipality

Roadside fruit and vegetable stalls are important Support, encourage and actively promote roadside fruit and points for the general community, low income Roadside fruit and vegetable stalls are generally located in vegetable stalls. earners and welfare dependent individuals and designated farming production areas on the outskirts of urban Ensure the importance of roadside fruit and vegetable stalls is families to access low cost, high quality, local development and require a motor vehicle for access acknowledged within council planning and that council bi-laws fruit and vegetables continue to allow these outlets to operate Develop and implement a collaborative approach to school Schools are not specifically funded to provide breakfast School based breakfast programs exist in a breakfast programs in the region and seek support from the programs and have to find money to cover costs from other number of local primary and secondary schools business sector to ensure long term viability of new and areas of their budgets. existing programs

While the region is a food bowl, there are limited In partnership with local producers, the private sector and the In recent years many food producers in the region have had access points for local individuals and businesses local community develop strategies to increase local access at difficulty remaining financially viable to purchase locally grown fruit and vegetables an individual and wholesale level to local produce

Investigate/trial low cost access points for local fruit and Very few low cost access points for fresh, local vegetables utilising existing services and infrastructure (such fruit and vegetables exist within the urban as produce markets at schools or working with corner stores to boundary include local fruit and vegetable stocks)

VLGA Food Scan Report 27

6.5 Socio-cultural environment

The Mildura LGA is home to people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. Approximately 4% of the local population identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and the region is also home to many established and emerging cultural groups including people from Italy, Greece, Turkey, the Pacific Islands, India, Sudan, Afghanistan and Burundi. The Mildura LGA has the highest percentage of migrants on humanitarian visas as a percentage of total settlement of any LGA in the state.

Both established and emerging cultural groups have indicated that they experience difficulty in accessing culturally appropriate foods locally.

“Accessing food from my culture can be difficult – for example maize, what you get here just isn’t right. I go to Adelaide or Melbourne every few months to get the food that I want for my family. A few families go together and we buy in bulk” (HTM 2013a).

Many community based cultural groups have indicated that they would like to grow their own food but do not necessarily have the land available to do this.

Food production and social connectedness

In recent years a strong culture of local produce markets has developed both in Mildura and the surrounding satellite towns. Very few other community events which promote social connectedness through food and food production exist. The exception to this is the “Festival of the Olive” organised by the local Greek community. This is a local day of celebration focused on olive production and Greek culture. At the time of data collection, no specific events focused on food production and social connectedness are organised or funded by MRCC.

See Table 10 for a summary of gaps, considerations and opportunities around the socio-cultural environment.

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Summary

Table 10: Summary of Gaps, Considerations and Opportunities - Socio-cultural Environment

Dimensions – Gaps Considerations Opportunities

Work in partnership with local migrant and refugee communities and local retailers to develop economically viable options for improving access to culturally appropriate foods MRCC is home to a culturally diverse Migrants and refugees in the region travel to capital cities (Melbourne/Adelaide) to access culturally appropriate food community. Many individuals and families from Support migrant and refugee involvement in community CALD backgrounds have difficulty accessing MRCC is a designated primary settlement area for newly arrived gardening initiatives (such as MELP) culturally appropriate foods locally refugees many of whom have limited economic resources Work with community based organisations (such as TAFE) or MRCC to allow cultural groups to grow traditional food on unused land in the municipality Develop a local food swap initiative to promote small scale food production at a household level and social interaction

Review the MRCC social inclusion plan to determine whether No initiatives currently exist in the municipality community food production could be considered to be included to encourage a culture of food production or in the future sharing of local produce on a regular basis Determine if the MRCC events grants stream could include a category for events focused on celebration of local food and social connectedness Further consult with the local Aboriginal community around the Aboriginal focus group participants identified High proportion of residents in the municipality identify as interest in increasing access to traditional local foods and traditional food as a good source of low cost Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander initiatives/strategies to promote consumption of traditional healthy food food

The local Best Start Partnership has increasing breastfeeding Support the local Best Start Partnership in increasing local Relatively low breastfeeding rates rates in the region as a priority area for action breastfeeding rates

VLGA Food Scan Report 29

7.0 Summary and Recommendations

This report was written to inform the priorities and areas of action for a proposed food coalition. The food coalition would take a lead role in working with MRCC and HTM towards improving food security of the Mildura Rural City Council municipality. Out of 79 LGA’s in Victoria, Mildura is the 12th most disadvantaged. The demographic profile reflects consistent disadvantage across the social determinants of health, all of which impact a person’s level of food security. VLGA Scanning was used to gather data to generate this report.

It is shown throughout the report that despite being one of the nations largest producers of fresh produce, a ‘food bowl’ as it is often referred, only 4.4% of males and 9.6% of females in the region met the national guidelines for daily vegetable consumption in 2008.

Even more concerning, in 2011 9.3% of the population in the Mildura LGA experienced food insecurity in the preceding twelve months. These findings demonstrate that food security is serious public health issue.

There are numerous factors within the food system of the Mildura municipality which are influencing the existence of food security in the region. These occur in the natural, built, economic and socio-cultural environments.

Natural environment

Within the natural environment, poor market prices for local produce mean that farmers are more likely to export their produce out of the region. For any excess produce that is left over, there is no coordinated approach at a local level to capture and redistribute from growers or packing houses to local emergency food relief (EFR) providers.

At the time of the data collection, municipal food security is not explicitly considered in the Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS) nor is it considered in MRCC disaster planning documents, highlighting that it has not been recognised a health issue in the region.

Built environment

The built environment findings demonstrate that take away food outlets dominate the food landscape in municipality. Across the LGA, 27 schools are within walking distance of take away outlets, and only one school and one preschool are within walking distance to fresh food outlets.

The VLGA audit of all food outlets showed that purchasing fried food is twice as easy (available and accessible) than purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables.

There are number of food deserts within close proximity to Mildura CBD. A number of these have very accessible liquor outlets. In the Mildura East food desert, six liquor outlets operate. The increasing level of chronic disease due to unhealthy weight in the region can be associated with the ease at which a resident can maintain an unhealthy diet.

Economic environment

The cost of food is a significant barrier to access in the Mildura LGA with 42.7% of the population reporting the price of food means they aren’t always able to access the type of food they want.

Community members identified local roadside fruit and vegetable stalls as vital sources of fresh, affordable produce.

The Healthy Food Basket survey shows that it is more expensive to purchase a healthy basket of food in outlying areas of the municipality than it is in Mildura; to the extent that some residents travel to Mildura to purchase their groceries.

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The VHFB survey findings showed that a ‘typical’ family of four in Mildura LGA would spend 25.8% of their income on a healthy basket of food, whereas the Victorian average ‘typical’ family of four would spend only 17.7% of their income. This highlights the importance of making fresh produce affordable across the municipality

Socio-cultural environment

Mildura LGA is primary settlement area for migrants on humanitarian visas. Both established and emerging cultural groups have indicated the difficulty in accessing culturally appropriate foods locally.

While in recent years a strong culture of local produce markets have developed both in Mildura and the surrounding satellite towns, very few other community events exist which promote social connectedness through food exist.

The following recommendations have been developed to guide the future actions affecting the municipality’s food system:

Short term

1. Support and promote road side fruit and vegetable stalls as important access points to fresh fruit and vegetables for residents. 2. Consider reviewing the local laws to make it easier to sell fresh fruit and vegetables, particularly within the urban boundary. 3. Work to develop a local solution to capturing excess fresh fruit and vegetables and redistributing it out through EFR providers 4. Work with local EFR providers to make information about their services more available to the community (and consider placing this information on the council website) 5. Work with communities and existing retailers in outlying areas to determine how to increase the availability of high quality, affordable fresh fruit and vegetables for residents

Medium Term

1. Consult with local Councillors and strategic planners about the best way to ensure that food is considered when new residential developments are zoned. At present there is no provision land use for the sale of food in any new residential developments meaning residents in these areas will be highly dependent on cars (see for example the new Mildura South proposed residential zone). 2. Work with all relevant areas of MRCC to ensure food is considered and included in all the relevant plans and strategies identified in this report 3. Work with local migrant and refugee communities and existing retailers and farmers to develop innovative solutions to the issues around accessing culturally appropriate food in the region.

Long Term

1. Work with MRCC Councillors and relevant staff to develop a process which considers health and wellbeing in the approval of new packaged liquor outlets and takeaway food outlets. 2. Partner with relevant MRCC departments, external organisations, farmers and local fresh food retailers to develop financially viable options for farmers to sell more of their produce into local markets. This would improve the availability; quality and freshness for consumers, cut transport costs (and green house gas emissions) and hopefully improve the economic viability for farmers in the region.

VLGA Food Scan Report 31

Reference List

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013, Data & Analysis http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/seifa

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2008, 'Australia's Health: The eleventh biennial health report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare', AIHW, Canberra.

Burns, C 2004, 'A review of the literature describing the link between poverty, food insecurity and obesity with specific reference to Australia', Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, retrieved 05 April 2012, .

Burns, C, Bentley, R, Thornton, L & Kavanagh, A 2011, 'Reduced food access due to a lack of money, inability to lift and lack of access to a car for food shopping: a multilevel study in Melbourne, Victoria', Public Health Nutrition, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 1017‐23.

Department of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries 2013, 'National Food Plan: Our food future'.

Department of Health 2011, 'Victorian Population Health Survey 2008, Mildura Rural City ‐ Selected Findings, Health Intelligence, Policy and Strategy, Prevention and Population Health,Wellbeing, Integrated Care and Ageing', Department of Health retrieved 02 April 2012, .

Department of Health 2012, Local Government Area Profiles ‐ Mildura, Melbourne.

Department of Human Services 2001, 'Environments for Health, Promoting Health and Wellbeing through built, social, economic and natural environments', State Government of Victoria, retrieved 11 July 2013,

Department of Justice 2013, 'Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation' https://liquor.justice.vic.gov.au/alarm_internet/alarm_internet.asp?wci=start_alarm_internet

Gallegos, D, Ellies, P & Wright, J 2008, 'Still there's no food! Food insecurity in a refugee population in Perth, Western Australia', Nutrition & Dietetics, vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 78‐83.

Healthy Together Mildura, 2013a, 'Victorian Local Governance Association Municipal Food Scan ‐ General Community Focus Group', Mildura.

Healthy Together Mildura, 2013b, 'Victorian Local Governance Association Municipal Food Scan ‐ Indigenous Community Focus Group', Mildura.

Healthy Together Mildura, 2013c, 'Victorian Local Governance Association Municipal Food Scan ‐ Mallee Track Community Focus Group', Ouyen.

Healthy Together Mildura, 2013d, 'Victorian Local Governance Association Municipal Food Scan ‐ Salvation Army Focus Group', Mildura.

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Kavanagh, A & Krnjacki, L 2011, 'Accessibility to alcohol outlets and alcohol consumption : findings from VicLanes', Victorian Health Promotion Foundation Carlton, Victoria.

King, S, Moffitt, A, Bellamy, J, Carter, S, McDowell, C & Mollenhauer, J 2012, 'When There's Not Enought to Eat ‐ A national study of food insecurity among Emergency Relief clients', ANGLICARE Diocese of Sydney, Social Policy and Research Unit, Sydney.

Mildura Development Corporation 2012, 'Mildura Region Economic Profile', Mildura Development Corporation, retrieved 11 July 2013, .

Montague, M 2011a, 'Food for All 2005‐2010 Program evaluation report', Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, Melbourne.

Montague, M 2011b, 'Local Government and Food Security ‐ An Evidence Review', Melbourne, Victoria.

Palermo, C, Walker, K, Hill, P & McDonald, J 2008, 'The cost of healthy food in rural Victoria', Rural and Remote Health, vol. 8, p. 1074.

Palermo, C & Wilson, A 2007, 'Development of a healthy food basket for Victoria', Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 360‐3.

Radimer, K 2002, 'Measurement of household food security in the USA and other industrialized countries', Public Health Nutrition, vol 5, no.6A, pp.859‐864.

Ramsey, R, Giskes, K, Turrell, G & Gallegos, D 2011, 'Food insecurity among Australian children: Potential determinants, health and developmental consequences', Journal of Child Health Care, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 401‐16.

Swinburn, B, Sacks, G, Hall, K, McPherson, K, Finegood, D, Moodie, M, Gortmaker, S 2011, 'The global obesity pandemic: shaped by global drivers and local environments', The Lancet, vol.378, no. 9793, pp. 804‐814. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673611608131)

Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development 2010, 'Early Childhood Community Profile 2010 Rural City of Mildura', Victorian Government Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, retrieved 20 May 2012, .

VicHealth 2012, 'Reducing harm from alcohol', Local government action guide no.9.

VLGA 2010, 'Municipal Food Security, Dimensions and Opportunities, Scanning Work Book', Victorian Local Governance Association, Carlton, Victoria.

Ward, PR, Verity, F, Carter, P, Tsourtos, G, Coveney, J & Wong, KC 2013, 'Food stress in Adelaide: the relationship between low income and the affordability of healthy food', Journal Of Environmental And Public Health, vol. 2013, pp. 968078‐.

White, M 2007, 'Food access and obesity', Obesity Reviews: An Official Journal Of The International Association For The Study Of Obesity, vol. 8 Suppl 1, pp. 99‐107.

World Health Organization 2011, 'Food security'. retrieved 3 October 2013,

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Appendices

Appendix 1- Retail Food Audit

Food Retail Outlet Audit Tool Instructions

Purpose of the Mildura Rural City Council Food Retail Audit

The Mildura Rural City Council Food Retail Audit is a component of the larger Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) scan to determine gaps and opportunities in municipal food security. The purpose of the audit is to assess the availability of different types of food for home consumption. Therefore, only outlets that sell ingredients for home cooking or that sell takeaway food will be assessed. Each store needs to be visited and the type of food sold must be noted. Stores/outlets will then be categorized according to the criteria set-out below.

The assessment of the number and type of shops available and the categories of food sold will allow us to assess the accessibility of fresh food in different areas within the Mildura LGA. The main purpose of the exercise is to compare the availability of fresh food and takeaway food in different areas of the Mildura LGA.

General Instructions for Use of the Audit Proforma

 As a courtesy, please let the shop keepers/store managers know what you are doing with an iPad in their store! A brief explanation stating you are from Sunraysia Community Health Services (this is safer than explaining we are Healthy Together and in partnership with MRCC – otherwise we are potentially going to be confused with environmental laws and they will be thinking we are doing a food safety audit) and we are undertaking a project looking at access to different types of foods for home consumption across the municipality. If they are concerned, confirm that we are not undertaking price comparisons, just looking at the types of foods available in their store. If they are really concerned, show them the proforma on the iPad.  All auditing will be carried out using the proforma loaded on the MRCC iPads.  A list of all food premises that need to be visited has been prepared using the MRCC Environmental Health Unit’s Food Premises Register. All Class 2 and 3 premises and some class 4 premises on the list need to be audited. The list will be sorted into locality (by postcode) and then divided amongst Healthy Together staff to complete.  Ensure you have read the attached glossary with instructions on how to classify types of food and the outlets prior to embarking on any audits.  If you are unsure of how to classify an outlet, make as many notes as you can in the items for sale and comments sections of the proforma and come back and discuss this with me.  At the end of a “scanning session” save your work and email it to Erin from the iPad.

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Instructions for Completing the iPad Proforma

1. Switch on iPad and login (Passcode = 3500) 2. Go to the formsLite app icon 3. Choose “Food Retail Audit iPad 1 (or 2)” 4. Fill in your name from the drop down box 5. Date and time of audit will automatically populate 6. Name of outlet: Type this in directly from your printed list 7. Street address: Type this in directly from your printed list. Make sure you type the address exactly – this is very important 8. Suburb: choose from the drop down box menu. If the suburb is not listed (as with some of the smaller ones, ie. Hattah, Karadoc etc) chose “other” 9. Postcode: Chose from the drop down box menu. Make sure you correctly enter the postcode – this is particularly important if you chose ‘other’ for the category above 10. Go through each item listed in the ‘items for sale’ question and tick those which are sold (refer to the glossary if required). If an item is not available in that outlet, leave the box blank. Multiple items can be chosen. 11. Classify the food retail outlet from the drop down box list in accordance with the “classification of outlets” section below. 12. Fill in the ‘comments’ section. A simple note is all that is required, ie. “Veg fresh and frozen but mostly canned” or “Butcher that sells fresh fish 2 days a week” Observations should be made regarding:  Whether the store sells a variety of ethnic foods – provide detail on what is sold. More  The variety and quality of goods available if appropriate (this is likely to be more relevant in outlying areas)  Whether fruits/vegetables are available and how they are sold: canned/frozen/fresh  Whether fresh meat/fish is available or whether only canned/deli-types of meat/fish are available  Unusual or particularly limited opening times of shops 13. Chose Save & Quit 14. At the end of an auditing session, ensure you email your results (they will go to Erin). Select Admin > Settings (which is located at the bottom of the screen) > Mail data (xls format) 15. At the end of every auditing session, please let me know which outlets you have audited so I can cross them off on the master list. If I am not at work, send me an email or leave a list on my desk.

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Glossary of Terms

Takeaway: Any foods, such as pies, pasties and sausage rolls, which do not fall into other sections below.

Fried Food: Includes items such as hot chips, fried dim sims, potato cakes, hamburgers, chicken schnitzels

Alcohol: Any liquor product

Vege/fruit: Fresh, canned or frozen vegetables. Please specify whether fresh vegetables are available and make a note about whether most of the vegetables are fresh, canned or frozen Fresh, dried, frozen or canned fruit. Do not include candied fruit in this category. Please specify whether fresh fruit is available and make a note about whether most of the fruit is fresh, canned, frozen or dried.

Sandwiches: Pre-prepared or prepared to order sandwiches/rolls/focaccia

Hot meals: Includes items such as pasta dishes, rice and curry/casserole dishes

Meat/Fish: Fresh meat (such as beef steaks, beef mince, chicken breast, bacon, ham) and fresh or canned fish (such as as fish fillets, whole fish, canned tuna, canned salmon). Please make a note about whether most of the meat/fish are fresh, canned, frozen or deli style (such as ham)

Bread: Bread available for sale individually. Such as loaves of white/wholemeal/wholegrain bread, flat breads, Turkish bread, rolls, focaccia. Do not include bread only used to make sandwiches on site in this category. This category should only be marked when bread can be bought and taken home to prepare meals.

Pasta/rice/grain: Dry pasta and rice to be prepared in the home. Do not include pre-prepared rice in this category (this should be recorded under the ‘hot meals’). Grains: Items such as polenta/corn meal, burghul, cous cous. Do not include pre-prepared grains in this category (this should be recorded in the ‘hot meals’ category)

Eggs: Only fresh eggs should be included in this category. Do not include pre-prepared eggs or egg dishes. These should be included in the ‘hot meals’ category

Milk: Only fresh/powdered/UHT whole, reduced fat or skim milk should be included in this category. Do not include flavoured milk drinks in this category or sweetened or condensed milks.

Yoghurt/cheese: Include in this category all types of cheese/yoghurt

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Classification of outlets:

Supermarket: Shops that classify themselves as a supermarket and/or belong to a supermarket chain. Shops that sell predominantly fresh food.

Green Grocer: Shops that predominantly sell fresh fruit and vegetables but do not operate as a farm gate outlet

Take away: Shops for which the majority of food sold is classified in the following categories: takeaway, fried foods, sandwiches, and hot meals (although be careful with hot meals as this may mean the food has come from a restaurant/café) This would include pizza shops and fish and chip shops, KFC, McDonalds etc.

Mixed Business: Shops that don’t fit into the category of takeaway as they sell a variety of fresh and takeaway foods or other items. Most milk bars/convenience stores fall into this category. Please make a note as to why you have listed each shop in this category. Ie. “ Sells fresh fruit and vegetables but a significant proportion of fried food as well”

Butcher: Predominantly sells a variety of fresh meat.

Liquor outlet: Outlet that predominantly sells alcohol

Café/restaurant: Only cafés/restaurants that provide a takeaway meal service should be included in this category. Ie. The Pizza Café and Thairific would be included here but the Rendezvous would not.

Bakery: Predominantly sells a variety of bread products to take home for use. Do not include cake shops/patisseries in this section; they should be included in the ‘other’ section.

Farm Gate Sales: Outlets that sell fresh produce that has been produced on their own farm or an adjacent farm. In the comments section please list the type of produce sold.

Ethnic Food Store: Store that predominantly caters to the needs of a CALD group/s. Please make a list in the ‘Items for sale’ section and the ‘comments section’ regarding the nature of products for sale.

Other: Shops that don’t fit into any other category. This includes bakeries that sell an even mix of pastries, cakes and bread and therefore cannot be categorized a bakery (as per definition above).

VLGA Food Scan Report 37

How the categories will be grouped for mapping:

For the purposes of mapping, we are interested in outlets that sell takeaway food vs. fresh food. The categories above will be collapsed to the following:

Fresh food outlets: Will include: supermarkets, green grocers, butchers, bakery, farm gate sales

Take away outlets: Take away, café/restaurant, and mixed businesses that sell predominantly take away food.

Liquor outlets: as in the section above

Ethnic food stores and Other will be mapped according to what they sell on a store by store basis.