Wednesday, 21 June 2023

 Daniel ANDREWS (Mulgrave – Premier) (14:06): I am delighted to rise to update the house on the government’s considerable efforts in relation to supporting some of the most vulnerable students in our state schools and indeed beyond. In the lead-up to the 2014 election we made a commitment that we would introduce school breakfast clubs as part of a package of measures to support families doing it tough, and that has been an outstanding success over these last 8½ years. Something like 500 Victorian government primary schools since 2016 have become part of this program. There are now 1000 primary, secondary, P–12 and specialist schools that are involved in this important program. They deliver breakfast, as the name suggests, but also lunch programs and school holiday food programs. With school holidays fast approaching, we know that there will be some families for whom this will be a very, very difficult time. We are supporting our smallest Victorians and young Victorians to be focused on their studies. Learning on an empty stomach is incredibly challenging for them, for their classmates, for behaviour, for mood. For all of those important reasons it is very important that we have not only introduced this program but grown it and expanded it. I was out in Footscray with the honourable member for Footscray very recently to celebrate the fine work of the Footscray Primary School, which is doing a great job extending these services. The budget – passed last night, I am very pleased to say, in the other place – delivers some $69.5 million over four years, which means that students at 1000 schools will continue to get those healthy breakfasts, 1000 schools where families who might be feeling increased cost-of-living pressure will know that they have that support. This of course sits in stark contrast to the education maintenance allowance, which was cut by a previous government. We will continue to support vulnerable Victorians as only a Labor government can.