Simone Carson AM

Simone Carson is passionate about ending hunger and ending waste. With more than 30 years’ experience in community health Simone knows Governments cannot solve all problems, it takes partnerships between individuals, organisations and communities.

18 years ago Simone transformed the food rescue sector in Australia by focusing on the rescue of fresh, nutritious food through co-founding the food rescue charity SecondBite. In FY 2022 SecondBite delivered more than 24 million kgs of food free to 1100 charities nationally. That is equivalent to more than 48 million meals and in environmental terms that food has offset more than 45 million kg of greenhouse gas emissions. And since it was founded in 2005, SecondBite has rescued enough food for over 280 million meals. It works with supermarkets, farmers, markets, manufacturers, and retailers to rescue surplus food that would otherwise go to waste and then distributes it to those in need.

Simone hopes that through a commitment to collaborative and innovative thinking across all parts of the sector, more nutritious food will be redistributed within Australia. Simone believes that all Australians should have access to healthy food no matter where they live and what their circumstances.

The need in our communities across the country has been greater than ever. Increases in the cost of living has meant that there are reports of parents missing meals to provide for their children, while many pensioners skip food to keep their heating on. SecondBite’s recent research survey of almost 400 agency partners nationally showed a large increase in client demand, both in numbers and types of clients seeking food relief. More than 75% of SecondBite’s agencies experienced an increased demand for food compared to last year.
Simone currently is the Deputy Chair and Co-founder of SecondBite.
Simone also represents SecondBite on the Australian Food Rescue Working Group supported by Fight Food Waste CRC. Simone also represents SecondBite on the Stop Food Waste Australia working Group. From 2020-22, Simone was a member of the Victorian Health Food Security/Food Systems COVID-19 Working Group. And in 2022, she sat on the Victoria Health led Food Relief Charter Development and the Healthy Eating Guidelines.

Simone was asked to participate in Woman’s Leadership Initiative, mentoring future woman leaders from the Pacific in 2020. She shared the award of Melburnian of the Year in 2018 and in the same year was awarded a Churchill Fellowship – where she travelled around the world to learn about best practice in the food relief sector. In 2017 Simone was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the food rescue sector.
In 2016 was placed on the Victorian Women’s Honour Roll. In 2013 shared the Schwab Global Social Entrepreneur.

Simone completed the Australian Institute of Directors Course in 2009. Holds a Bachelor of Education from La Trobe University and a Certificate in Paediatric Intensive Care Nursing.