Last week a report by the Australian Research Council was released that indicated Meals on Wheels volunteers can’t keep up with issues around complying with changing occupational health and safety standards and administrative requirements.

The research was presented by Flinders University’s history department Professor Melanie Oppenheimer at the Meals on Wheels annual conference last week. 

While the research may have solidified the concerns, it wasn’t news to Wagga Meals on Wheels chairman Lex Bittar. 

He said many smaller centres were feeling the pinch of red tape with volunteers wanting to focus on getting the job done, not with paperwork and compliance issues. 

Wagga was one of the more fortunate centres. 

“We have paid part-time and full-time workers who can focus on accountability and paperwork, so we are more fortunate than the smaller centres,” Mr Bittar said. 

“But we can relate to the smaller centres, which are totally run by volunteers.

“A lot of volunteers are finding themselves with a level of accountability they didn’t expect to be dealing with.”

Member for Riverina Michael McCormack said for organisations like Meals on Wheels, red tape is a recipe for disaster and one he intends to address. 

“It is unnecessary and burdensome,” he said. 

“We certainly want to end the nanny state mentality and revisit legislation to ensure it is easier for them to get the job done.”

Showing his support for the organisation, Mr McCormack took to the Meals on Wheels kitchen this week. 

He is the first to admit you won’t regularly find him in the kitchen, but Mr McCormack isn’t afraid to put his cooking skills on the line in the name of charity. 

On Monday, he rolled up his sleeves and tied up an apron to take up the challenge of baking in aid of the Red Cross Big Cake Bake. 

He might have had the help of the Greens – the packet cake mixes, that is – but he created a dozen lemon cupcakes worthy to be dished up to morning tea guests at the Wagga Meals on Wheels cafe, Terrace on Tarcutta. 

“My wife will tell you that she won’t let me near the kitchen,” Mr McCormack said. 

“When I told my kids, Georgia roared with laughter.

“My boys told me the proof would be in the eating.”