Perth, July 31: Despite being required to prove financial capacity of thousands of dollars before being granted a student visa, more than 80 per cent of international students in Australia have skipped meals or eaten less due to cost-of-living pressures, with 84 per cent worried about having enough food to eat — prompting Allianz Partners to renew its three-year partnership with Foodbank Australia to keep tackling the crisis.
The renewal was marked today at Murdoch University in Perth, as the Allianz Partners and Foodbank International Student market stall series celebrated 12 months since expanding into Western Australia. Students at Murdoch were among more than 12,000 nationwide who have been supported by the program since it began in 2024.
Since launching, the market stall series has delivered 20 on-campus stalls, distributing more than 110 tonnes of fresh produce and pantry staples to students at 12 institutions — a volume equivalent to three fully loaded road trains, or an empty Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The program now operates across Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Western Australia and, as of this year, South Australia.
In WA alone, more than 1,200 students have been supported with over 12 tonnes of food and essential products distributed through two market stalls since the program’s expansion into the state last year.
Allianz Partners Executive Head of Health, Miranda Fennell, said the renewal reflected the company’s commitment to supporting students beyond traditional insurance cover.
“Allianz Partners is proud to renew our partnership with Foodbank for a further three years,” Fennell said.
“For us, this is about delivering more than insurance. It’s about making a genuine difference in the day-to-day lives of the students we support.
“Our latest Food Insecurity Impact Report highlights the significant challenges many international students continue to face. The report found that 84% worry about having enough food to eat, while 80% have skipped meals or eaten less due to financial constraints.”
The market stall series sits alongside Allianz Care Australia’s wider wellbeing support for international students, including an on-campus support team at universities nationwide and the Sonder mental health, safety and wellbeing app, available in more than 240 languages with 24/7 access to nurses, mental health first-aiders and safety responders for primary OSHC policyholders.
Murdoch University Director, Student Wellbeing, Simon Walters, welcomed the extension of the partnership. “International students are a valued part of the Murdoch community, but we also recognise that studying in a new country brings challenges, particularly when students are navigating financial pressures, building new support networks and being far from family and familiar sources of support,” Walters said.
“At Murdoch University, we provide a range of wellbeing supports for students, as well as specific supports for international students, including access to an International Mental Health Practitioner, alongside opportunities to build connection and belonging through initiatives such as International Café in The Den — our student wellbeing drop-in space.
“Partnerships like this one are welcomed as they help ensure students feel supported and connected to a community that cares while addressing practical challenges such as food insecurity.”
Foodbank WA Chief Executive, Kate O’Hara, said rising demand for food staples was evident across all sectors of the community, including students. “Food insecurity doesn’t discriminate, and university students, particularly those far from home and their usual support networks, are more vulnerable than many people realise,” O’Hara said.
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