Greens Propose Free School Lunches for All Public Students

The $11.6 billion plan would deliver daily meals and expand breakfast access nationwide.

Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt during a policy announcement on Free Breakfasts for Primary Students at Hanlon Park in Brisbane, Australia, on April 15, 2025. AAP Image/Jason O'Brien

The Greens have unveiled a major election policy promising free lunches to every student enrolled in Australia’s public school system.

The initiative is estimated to cost $11.6 billion over the forward estimates by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO).

The party also intends to allocate $85 million annually to expand existing breakfast programs across the country, aiming to tackle hunger and improve student wellbeing at school.

Feeding Minds and Bellies

Max Chandler-Mather, Greens MP for Griffith, has already put theory into practice.

Since 2022, his electorate office has personally funded a weekly breakfast program across four public schools, delivering over 40,000 free meals using his parliamentary salary.

Chandler-Mather claims teachers involved in the initiative reported noticeable improvements in student focus, behavior, and engagement on days when breakfast was provided.

“School meals don’t just reduce cost of living pressures,” the Greens said in a statement.

“They have been proven to enhance attendance, attention span, academic performance, social skills, nutrition, and mental and physical health. They’re also an effective preventative measure against youth crime by keeping vulnerable kids engaged in school.”

The new lunch plan builds on a broader set of education policies from the Greens, which include an $800 annual back-to-school payment per child, the abolition of public school fees and charges, and full funding of public schools to the 100 percent Schooling Resource Standard by 2026.

Taxing Big Corporations

To bankroll these sweeping reforms, the Greens plan to raise revenue through their “Big Corporations Tax,” which they say will free up $514 billion over a decade.

That money would not only pay for school meals, but also fund universal childcare and dental care through Medicare.

“In a wealthy country like ours, no kids should go to school hungry,” Greens leader Adam Bandt said.

The ACT Government launched a similar pilot in August 2024 across five schools, offering free breakfast and lunch three days a week.

The meals—including yoghurt, wraps, frittatas, fruits, and vegetables —are evaluated by the ACT Nutrition Support Service.

The program, running through July 2025, is being assessed through community feedback.

However, Liberal candidate for Ginninderra Ignatius Rozario criticised the idea online, initially posting, “Children go to school to learn not for free lunch.”

He later clarified he supports food access for students in need but argued the policy would not solve deeper education challenges.