ACT Greens Member for Brindabella, Johnathan Davis MLA, has called on the ACT Government to ensure every ACT Public School has a school canteen that serves healthy food.
The ACT Greens believe that every ACT public school should have a school canteen – able to provide a variety of healthy meals to staff and students. But sadly, 31 ACT public schools do not have a school canteen, and 42 percent of them are in Tuggeranong.
“I believe every Canberra student should have access to a canteen, with the option to buy lunch at school. Every Canberra parent and carer should be able to send their child to school with a few gold coins, confident that they will be able to buy a healthy lunch,” Mr Davis said
“Sadly, this is not the case for the thousands of students spread across the 31 ACT public schools that do not have a canteen. With 42 percent of those schools being located in Tuggeranong, this is an issue that disproportionately burdens my constituents in Brindabella.
“We know students learn better on a full stomach. Access to good meals at school is essential to ensure students are able to fully participate in the classroom and get the most out of a great public education.
“I commend Canberra’s volunteer-led Parents and Carers Associations that do a great job running many school canteens. However, P&Cs and school communities deserve more support from government to help them to run sustainable canteen models without compromising on food nutrition, particularly in schools where volunteer time and skills are less available.
“I commend the ACT Government on establishing the pilot ‘Free Meals in Schools’ program at 5 ACT public schools, including Richardson Primary and Gilmore Primary in my electorate, demonstrating a shared understanding that students learn better on a full stomach.
“I’ve called on the ACT Government to investigate a policy that would provide every public school with an operational canteen, conduct and audit of kitchen and canteen facilities across all ACT public schools, and enshrine an agreed standard for canteen facilities in the Education Directorate Infrastructure Specifications (EDIS) to inform future ACT Government investment.
“Additionally, I’ve called in the ACT Government to reinstate free annual menu assessment for all school canteens to support school canteens meet their requirements under the ACT Public School Food and Drink Policy, supporting community expectations that canteens prioritise healthy food options.
“Importantly, I’ve called on the ACT Government to ensure this work is done in consultation with the ACT Council of Parents & Citizens Associations, the Australian Education Union ACT Branch and the ACT Principals Association. Working with parents, teachers and students will always ensure we get the best outcomes in ACT public schools,” Mr Davis concluded.
