Being able to feed yourself and your family with food that is of sufficient quantity and quality for a healthy and active life is a fundamental human right. In countries such as Australia, where the quantity of food produced is abundant, household food insecurity (HFI) should not be a concern. However, in some communities, one in four households are potentially going without food and some Pasifika families are at greater risk1. HFI has serious implications for health with increased healthcare use, risk of chronic conditions including mental health issues, as well as developmental and behavioural implications for children 2-3. As the primary nutrition gatekeepers women are most vulnerable. This research used Pacific Indigenous methodology, namely talanoa4, to build an understanding of food security and its determinants within a collective cultural context for Pasifika families living in Queensland. Eight community co-researchers interviewed 40 elders and youth leaders of 15 Pacific Island communities in Queensland. The preliminary themes identified include: the centrality of food to identity (reciprocity, hospitality and spirituality); the inability to provide food undermines social connections and wellbeing; that churches have a significant role to play in ensuring food security but can also undermine it; lack of healthy food options and portion control is impacting health; and social determinants such as low incomes, lack of a welfare safety net, overcrowding and sending remittances to the Islands affect the ability of families to put food on the table. Solutions to food insecurity for Pasifika families will need to engage women as the primary food preparers and keepers of food knowledge. Solutions will need to be co-designed with communities and range from high level actions that impact the social determinants as well as practical solutions that utilise current social networks to produce and distribute affordable food.