Hike mining royalties to fund free breakfasts for school students: Greens

The Queensland Greens scheme would complement the YMCA’s existing Schools Breakfast program, where 70,000 free brekkies a month are provided to students Queensland-wide.

The party's proposal would operate outside school tuckshops, unless the individual tuckshops choose to be part of the scheme.

Tuckshops in Queensland schools generate revenue for individual school P and C Associations.

The Greens – who are targeting several state seats including Education Minister Grace Grace’s inner-city electorate of McConnel – say their proposal reaches children who start the day without breakfast.

Ms Grace was contacted for a reply.

In May 2020 a report by Queensland Council of Social Services found "nearly half the children in sole parent families live in poverty (44 per cent) compared with 13 per cent for children living with both parents".

In August 2020 a Curtin University study showed Queensland had Australia’s highest child poverty rates.

The proportion of children younger than five in poverty rose to 21.4 per cent in Queensland in 2017-18 from 16.5 per cent in 2009-10, research from Curtin University's Business School shows.

Greens MP Michael Berkman said the Curtin University research showed Queensland had the highest child poverty rate since 2017.

"In a state where mining corporations have exported over $480 billion worth of resources in the last 10 years, it’s unacceptable that child poverty has increased to 18.5 per cent," Mr Berkman said.

"With rising unemployment and a once-in-a-generation recession, we need to act now to save a generation of kids from crushing poverty," he said.

Numerous studies show children’s school learning is impacted if they do not start with a regular breakfast.

The proposal has the support of Queensland Council of Social Services chief executive Aimee McVeigh.

"The expansion of the Queensland Schools Breakfast Program would have a significant positive impact on the tens of thousands of Queensland children who are living in poverty," Ms McVeigh said.

"Giving kids the basics before the start of each school day makes a big difference – it helps them to feel safe, improves their physical and mental health, increases their engagement in classes – and helps develop their social skills."

More than 775,000 Queenslanders live below the poverty line, Ms McVeigh said.

"Any child living in poverty is unacceptable."

Mr Berkman said the Greens' policy aimed to improve education standards.

The $374 million yearly cost would come from the Greens' plan to increase royalties paid by mine companies to Queensland Treasury.

Mr Berkman said he understood mine companies opposed lifting royalties.

"Well, here’s the deal: we’ll stop pushing to raise royalties when child poverty hits zero."

Origin Energy joined mining giant BHP in cutting ties with the Queensland Resources Council over the powerful lobby group's advertising campaign attacking the Greens ahead of the state election.

Origin, which runs power generation and gas drilling assets in the state, said the group's campaign overstepped the "clear boundary" between policy and politics.