They're testing to see how much Austerity you will tolerate
There's no good reason why US or Australia should have Austerity
Both nations have vast untold wealth in resources--minerals petrol gas coal farmland
They pretend Lockdowns have prevented 3rd world labourers from picking fruit etc
Any excuse to pretend there are food shortages

Becos they know the psychological impact of the public seeing empty supermarket shelves
If you accept the fake Economic Collapse--the fake food shortages--then you accept unnecessary 11 yr Austerity--rationing resources
Just like the British public did AFTER WW2