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Greens call on State Government to scrap school fees and make big banks fund free breakfasts and lunches

31 January 2025

The Greens have renewed calls for the State Government to scrap public school fees and provide free school breakfasts and lunches as a new report from the Commissioner for Children and Young People reveals that the rising costs of putting a child through school mean the right to a free education is now a “pipedream” and The Advertiser today revealed that numerous school canteens across SA have been forced to close or raise their prices to stay open.

“It’s completely unacceptable so many parents are facing the possibility that their children will go hungry because school canteens are closing or miss out on accessing an education altogether because they are expected to pay for laptops, books, and stationery,” said Greens SA Education Spokesperson Robert Simms MLC.

“With so many South Australian families living in poverty and the cost of living continuing to soar, the State Government should be doing everything it can to provide relief to struggling parents. Labor should move to scrap public school fees and revive their Big Banks levy and use the money it would raise to provide a free breakfast and lunches program for schoolkids,” said Mr Simms.

“Now really is the time for the Malinauskas Government to back a bold plan like this. It would reduce pressure on parents, improve educational outcomes and ensure that every South Australian child can succeed at school,” he concluded.

Labor first proposed a levy on major banks in 2017 but abandoned the plan. It has been estimated that a levy like the one proposed by Labor of 0.05% of total liabilities per quarter on the five big banks that are subject to the Commonwealth’s Major Bank levy would raise $340 million every year.

The Greens have estimated that a free breakfasts and lunches program would cost an average of $128 million a year. Public schools provide lunches in Japan, Norway, France, and some parts of the United States.