In a state where mining corporations export over $68 billion worth of resources a year, no child should be going to school hungry. But right now, 20% of children start the school day without eating breakfast, while 15% of kids will arrive at school without lunch.1
Queensland has the highest rate of child poverty in the country, with 18.5% of children living in poverty - increasing from 15.2% in 2009/10. Queensland also has the highest rate of poverty for children under 5, at 21.4% - increasing from 16.5% in 2009/10.2
In fact, despite mining corporations exporting over $480 billion worth of resources over the last 10 years, Queensland is the only state where child poverty has increased. This is unacceptable.
Kids who don’t have lunch or breakfast find it much harder to concentrate, socialise and learn, with worse educational outcomes as a result.3 So the Greens will establish a universal, free school breakfast and lunch program in every state primary and secondary school in Queensland, to ensure every child has access to a healthy breakfast and lunch.
The Greens will
- Introduce a universal, free healthy breakfast and lunch program in every state primary and secondary school in Queensland
- Establish a $1.2 billion fund for state schools to upgrade infrastructure where needed to accommodate the breakfast and lunch program including kitchen facilities and eating areas
Universal, free breakfast and lunch
The Queensland Greens will introduce a free healthy breakfast and lunch program to run at every state primary and secondary school in Queensland. The program will be available to every state school kid.
Kids can’t learn if they don’t eat, and right now 170,000 Queensland kids go to school every day without eating breakfast, while hundreds of thousands more don’t get a sufficient breakfast to keep them full during the day. As Queensland poverty rates increase and a recession takes hold, thousands more Queensland kids will go hungry.
The Queensland Greens free school breakfast and lunch program would see massive increases in students’ concentration, ability to socialise, attendance rates and educational outcomes. It would ensure no kid goes hungry and every student gets the best chance in life regardless of their parent’s income.
After a trial of a free healthy breakfast program in Victoria, Victoria University found 95% of teachers surveyed reported substantial increases in children’s moods, concentration, ability to learn and socialise, with teachers reporting higher grades among the children who attended the free breakfast.4
The total cost of the program would be $374 million a year and would be funded and coordinated by the State Government. This cost would cover all staff salaries, foodstuffs, equipment and fittings, transportation and food bought externally, ensuring no school is left worse off. Every state primary and secondary school in Queensland would be required to run the program. In schools where the charity Foodbank Australia is operating their free breakfast program, the State Government would work in coordination with the charity to expand and better resource it.
The breakfasts and lunches would be required to adhere to the Australian Dietary Guidelines outlined by the Australian Government to ensure every child has access to a healthy breakfast and lunch.5 Schools would be resourced to accommodate any dietary or cultural requirements.
Where else has this been done?
In Australia, NSW and Victoria both run targeted free breakfast programs, with Victoria expanding their free breakfast program to 1,000 schools in 2020.6 Meanwhile, ACT Labor recently announced a trial of free breakfast and lunch three days a week for students at five public schools.7 It’s a travesty that despite Queensland having the highest child poverty rates in Australia, we’re one of the only states without a substantial school breakfast or lunch program.
Finland has had a universal, free school lunch program since 1948. Their student population of 900,000 is relatively close to Queensland’s, making the success of Finland’s program a useful example of what Queensland could achieve. By operating at scale Finland’s authorities have been able to provide a free, healthy school lunch at a cost of $4 per student.8
Capital Grants
The evaluation of the Victorian free school breakfast program found that on average schools spent less than $1,000 in establishing their free breakfast program, with costs going towards buying fridges or freezers, microwaves, cutlery, bowls, aprons and mugs.9 However, schools also applied to the Victorian Government to build kitchens or eating areas.
The Greens will establish a $1.2 billion capital grants fund to cover the costs of basic infrastructure like fridges as well as expanding kitchen space or eating areas.
Costings
The total cost of the free breakfast and lunch program would be on average $374 million a year and, along with the proposed $1.2 billion capital fund, would be funded by our plan to increase royalties for mining corporations. This cost would cover all staff salaries, foodstuffs, equipment and fittings, transportation and food bought externally, ensuring no school is worse off.
|
Free School Breakfast and Lunch ($million) |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
Total over four years |
|
Free breakfast and lunch |
$360 |
$369 |
$379 |
$389 |
$1,497 |
|
Capital grants |
$300 |
$300 |
$300 |
$300 |
$1,200 |
|
Total |
$660 |
$669 |
$679 |
$689 |
$2,697 |
3https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/evaluation-school-breakfast-clubs.pdf
4https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/evaluation-school-breakfast-clubs.pdf
6https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/breakfastclubs.aspx
9https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/evaluation-school-breakfast-clubs.pdf