Last week I visited Leopold Primary School and their breakfast club, where toasties, cereal and fruit were on offer. I met students and staff - Skye and Rob from the wellbeing team - who were ensuring students were able to access that breakfast before the morning bell. There were a number of students helping - student helpers from grades 3 to 6 serving up breakfast to their friends - and it was incredible to hear about that initiative and the confidence that the students had developed through the opportunity to volunteer through the breakfast program.
We know breakfast club is an incredible program in helping to reduce the financial strain for families, ensuring that kids are getting a nourishing start to the day. It is currently run in several schools across the Bellarine, but I am very much looking forward to this government expanding the program across all government schools next year, meaning that the 12 government schools across the Bellarine will have a chance to offer breakfast to their students.
I am proud to say that this is not the only way that the Allan Labor government is supporting Bellarine kids and their families. Additional school costs, such as uniforms, camps, excursions and extracurricular activities, and the current cost-of-living crisis do add up. That is why in 2025 we are supporting families with the $400 school saving bonus to help cover those costs as well as with our Get Active vouchers, by tripling our Glasses for Kids program and with our Smile Squad dental vans. I know these investments go a long way.
Thank you to Leopold Primary School for a visit to your breakfast club.
