A select Senate committee on the cost of living held in Perth on Tuesday has seen the number of people accessing hardship relief programs increase by tens of thousands with Foodbank cardholders jumping from 5000 to 14,000 in just over a year.

Foodbank WA CEO Katie O’Hara told Julie-anne Sprague on 6PR’s Afternoons the demand was unexpected and shocking but Foodbank is there to welcome and help people get some balance back into the budget.

“It’s okay to use Foodbank, even if it’s just for a month.”

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