Charles Darwin University - Submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture’s Inquiry into Food Security in Australia - April 2023 - Recommendations and Context

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Quinn

Submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture’s Inquiry into Food Security in Australia, prepared by Charles Darwin University in April 2023. The submission focuses on supply chains, climate change and key drivers of food production, arguing for urgent action to strengthen local capacity in Northern Australia and improve remote access to food, particularly for First Nations people. It outlines Northern Territory context, workforce development, distribution cost and availability impacts, and opportunities and threats from climate change, followed by policy and funding recommendations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Summary of submission and recommendations

Northern Territory context

National production, consumption and export of food

Workforce development

The impact of supply chain distribution on the cost and availability of food

Climate change impacts and opportunities

Innovative and high-value produce

Conclusion

Further information

Charles Darwin University Submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture’s Inquiry into Food Security in Australia April 2023 Table of Contents Australia’s most connected university 3 Summary of submission and recommendations 3 The Northern Territory context 4 National production, consumption and export of food 5 Workforce development 6 The impact of supply chain distribution on the cost and availability of food 7 The opportunities and threats of climate change on food production in Australia 7 Innovative and high-value produce 9 Conclusion 10 Further information 10 Australia’s most connected university Charles Darwin University’s (CDU) vision is to be Australia’s most connected university by being courageous and making a difference in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia and beyond. Being a dual sector university allows CDU to meet the education needs of Territorians in campuses in Darwin, Alice Springs, Palmerston, and Katherine; in study centres in Nhulunbuy, Jabiru, and Tennant Creek; and delivering on country in some of the NT’s most remote locations. At the heart of CDU is to engage First Nations students and support their attainment of vocational and higher education. We embrace the vitality and resilience of the Northern Territory, which is the focus of the nation’s most ambitious plans for future development – to unlock the vast potential of Northern Australia and to engage with our neighbours in the Asia Pacific. CDU supports the NT Government’s ambitious goal of reaching a $40 billion economy by 2030 by leveraging the strengths of the NT and its people. CDU has established itself as an exciting and progressive research-intensive university with a regional focus that prioritises the complex issues facing Northern Australia and the Asia-Pacific. Research Institutes at CDU including the Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, the Menzies School of Health Research, the Northern Institute, Energy and Resources Institute and their collaborative research networks, provide a strategic framework for research engagement. CDU’s research outputs consistently outperform for its size and are evaluated as being well above world standards in areas of importance to Northern Australia. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings list CDU within the top 400 universities internationally, with CDU research ranking at 348 globally. Within Australia, this places CDU 28th of 37 ranked universities, despite being one of the smallest. The Australian Higher Education Magazine ranked CDU seventh nationally in 2022 for university-industry collaboration, based on co-authored publications with industry partners. Summary of submission and recommendations CDU welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Inquiry into Food Security in Australia. CDU’s location is important, as the horticulture sector in northern Australia, covering north of Western Australia (WA), NT, and north Queensland (QLD), contributes $1.6 billion per year to the Australian economy by supplying diverse food commodities to meet domestic and international demand. In line with the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference, this submission focuses predominantly on supply chains, climate change and the key factors affecting food production and the impacts on food security. An integrated understanding of Northern Australia’s social, economic, environmental, and climatic contexts is essential to realise and sustain development of the agricultural sector across northern Australia. CDU argues in this submission that the Inquiry’s urgent attention to improving local capacity in Northern Australia is critical to help prepare for future shocks to food production systems and improving access to food in remote Australia, especially for First Nations people. The expertise of organsiations operating in the NT’s remote and very remote locations should be at the forefront of the Committee’s Inquiry and

FAQs

What main topics does Charles Darwin University address in its submission on food security?

The submission concentrates on supply chains, climate change, and key factors affecting food production, as well as how these factors influence food security.

Why does the submission emphasize strengthening local capacity in Northern Australia?

It argues that improving local capability is critical to prepare for future shocks to food production systems and to improve access to food in remote areas, especially for First Nations people.

What recommendations does the submission make regarding food availability in regional and remote areas?

It supports targeted initiatives and policies to improve access and availability of locally sourced and affordable food, and it also calls for options to fund research on climate change impacts and solutions.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Quinn