Kia ora John,

This afternoon, I popped into Victory Primary School in Nelson to check out Labour's lunches in schools programme in action. It’s always heartwarming to hear firsthand from students and teachers about the impact these meals have, and today, I wanted to take a few moments to share some of this feedback with you.

As a former principal, I know the difference a full stomach can make when it comes to getting the most out of school, and for setting young people up for success later in life. Thanks to our Ka Ora, Ka Ako programme, more than 200,000 students across New Zealand now get a fresh, healthy meal at school every day - and all the educational benefits that come along with this.

We’ve now delivered 63 million free lunches in almost 1,000 schools across the country. Here’s what just a few of the principals have to say about the programme:

You can read more from teachers and parents here.

Making sure kids have enough to eat so they can get a great education is one way we’re working to make New Zealand the best place in the world to be a child. However, these free lunches don’t just benefit students - they’re also supporting Kiwi families feeling the pinch of rising prices.

It’s estimated that parents with two children in school save around $62 every week on their grocery bill, thanks to our free lunches. It’s another way we’re helping to ease the pressure on families, on top of the fuel tax cut, the cost of living payment, our action on supermarkets and more. 

I’m really proud to be part of a Government that’s making a difference for young New Zealanders, like the students I met today at Victory Primary. There’s more to do to make sure all our tamariki can reach their potential, but programmes like this, including free period products in school and our work to support young people into jobs and training, are having a real impact. You can read more about this work here.

Thanks,
Jan Tinetti