& Simon Clarke
For twelve years , the freight costs have been covered by an ACT government grant but , in the current financial year , the grant was exhausted by October . The good news is that the government has come to the party and confirmed it will cover all freight costs directly with the transport and supply chain network .
Simon became involved with Tuckerbox at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic , when various volunteers older than 70 took a break to avoid getting sick . Tuckerbox remained open during COVID-19 , and around two years ago Simon was asked to take on the role of chair .
Believing that society has a responsibility to look after all of its people , not just those that can pay their way , Simon sees it as a way of giving back . He says the future could quickly turn bleak for the poor and marginalised people in the Canberra community without organisations like Tuckerbox . So he considers that the government has to know the needs of such folk will not just go away .
Simon told Lily Pass “ If you force people into poverty , you ’ re forcing people into situations where illegal things will go on , or other equally unpalatable things go on , and how much more will that cost ?”
St Margaret ’ s News 9 March 2023