Surge in families seeking food parcels

A poverty action group says there is a surge in families needing government help to put food on the table. Official figures from the Ministry of Social Development shows 26,000 more hardship grants for food were given out compared with the June quarter last year. Child Poverty Action Group spokesperson Toni Ashton told RNZ reporter Eva Corlett food insecurity should not be a normal part of life, especially for children.