All Victorian public school students would be provided with free lunches under a major cost-of-living election pledge by the state’s opposition.
The healthy lunches program was unveiled on Sunday, just weeks before early voting opens on 14 November for the state election where more than half of voters are expected to cast their ballot paper before polling day.
Under the program, all school students from prep to year 12 would be provided with a free healthy lunch. The program would be similar to a scheme in New Zealand which delivers one million lunches a week.
The opposition leader, Matthew Guy, said the program would save parents time and money and support the nutrition of students.
“This is a simple way the government can help with cost of living – up to $5,000 a year the average family can save,” he said.
“I want them kids’ to have a proper healthy lunch to focus on learning.”
But the Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, questioned the Coalition’s track record on healthy food education programs, saying the Coalition had cut the state’s Free Fruit Friday program.
“Their record speaks for itself,” he said.
The opt-in program would be implemented across all Victorian public schools by the end of 2026 and a two-year trial – estimated to cost $300m – in selected schools would begin next year.
Amid rising inflation, cost of living is expected to be a key battleground at the state election on 26 November.
Last month the Victorian opposition vowed it would reduce public transport fares to $2 a day across metropolitan Melbourne, with V/Line regional tickets to be halved.
Andrews on Sunday pointed to Labor’s cost of living policies, including revitalising public ownership of the State Electricity Commission in an effort to drive down household power bills, a free kindergarten program and the government’s $250 power saving bonus.
Education minister Natalie Hutchins said the Coalition had previously slashed the education maintenance allowance – financial assistance to low-income Victorian households to assist with purchasing school supplies – which left families $300 worse off per child a year.
The state government’s Schools Breakfast Clubs program – delivered in partnership with Foodbank Victoria – has provided more than 25m free breakfasts to disadvantaged students across 1,000 schools.
Opposition education spokesperson David Hodgett, said research showed up to one third of students experienced food insecurity.
“We know a substantial number of students don’t get any lunch at all, a number of students get insufficient food and a number of students don’t get sufficient quality of food,” he said.
