Australia's Rationing Regulations During World War I

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Rationing regulations were introduced to Australia, in mid-1942 as means to aid the war effort. These measures were implemented to help manage shortages food and clothing created with the focus of resources being to produce items for the troops at war overseas. The Government issued coupons as a currency to ensure these items were equitably spread.
Rationing was also introduced to slow down inflation as using coupons would decrease consumer spending and increase the savings of the Australian population enabling more money to be invested in government war loans.
At first, Australians adjusted well to the rationing regulations as it was deemed patriotic to ‘go without’ in support of the war. The introductions of more ‘loved’ items to rationing lists however began to test the wills of Australians. Australians became unwilling to give up comforts they had previously enjoyed on a day to day basis. …show more content…
These items were considered by many to be too essential to ration. Tea was in short supply after Japan occupied the main distributors of tea to Australia – Malaya, Java and the Dutch Indies. Australians had a hard time adjusting to tea being added to rationing lists as it was somewhat of a cultural drink. Allowances were made for the aged and those in remote outback areas as for them tea could be safer to drink than water in some circumstances.
The rationing of clothing during WWII had a profound impact on Australian women who struggled to adjust to having less clothing available. There were limits to the amount of clothes being sold each day so women would rush in hysteria to get what they could. In August 1942, sugar was added to the rationing list. The reaction from Australians was unexpected as sugar was not an essential commodity and they were unwilling and struggled to
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