Key Points
To take urgent action on the cost-of-living, Rebecca White and Labor will provide free school lunches at every Tasmanian government school to help kids and family budgets.
We will provide free, healthy lunches for every Tasmanian government primary school student by 2030. This will save families on the weekly grocery shop – an average of $80-$100 a week for a family with two kids.
At a time when 67% of teachers report having students come to school hungry or without having eaten breakfast, Labor’s plan will provide welcome relief while focusing on one of the most important things in a child’s day.
The school lunch program will:
- Help with the cost of living, saving parents on the weekly grocery shop
- Deliver healthy menus for lunch and snacks
- Allow parents to say goodbye the dreaded morning routine of packing lunches
- Improve focus, engagement and attendance while filling hungry tummies.
Why we need it
Tasmanians are struggling in a cost of living crisis.
The state government can’t do everything to reduce grocery prices, but free school lunches is one thing that will help take the pressure off.
“Free school lunches will save parents on their weekly grocery shop”
The World Health Organisation identifies schools as an important setting for children to develop healthy eating and good nutrition.
But an estimated 1.2 million Australian children are living in food-insecure households, and children are going hungry at school.
Good healthy food is critical for growth and better health later in life. Policies like these will improve the educational and life outcomes of Tasmanian students.
The existing School Lunch Project trial is at 30 schools but is not funded for job creation or to run every day.
This has left a big reliance on school staff and volunteers to pitch in and help with delivery.
Despite resource challenges, schools who have had school lunches have said:
- “The feedback we get from kids is that School Lunch Project is their favourite part of the week”
- “We know that’s it’s really important that we … [do] …this for our kids, and we give them … the best meal they have every week. We would love to feed all of our students every day, and particularly in our environment with the backgrounds of some of our families it would benefit our students no end.”
- “We have seen some students who were previously disengaged…engaged and coming to school regularly to participate in the School Lunch Program”
- “The School Lunch Pilot…was a game changer in terms of impact on health and wellbeing”
Labor will provide lunch, healthy snacks and fruit for every primary school child, every day of the week.
This will save a family with two kids up to $4000 over a year. As well as saving time for busy parents on school mornings.