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Both the Māori and Mana parties are trying to claim credit for the Government’s food in schools initiative.
Over the next five years the Government will put $9.5 million to help the Kids Can charity, Weetbix maker, Sanitarium, and milk giant, Fonterra, expand their Kick-Start Breakfast programme to all decile one to four schools.
The companies are matching the funding.
The Māori Party says it has come out of its relationship accord with National, which talked about alleviating the affects of poverty.
The funding is part of the Government’s response to an expert advisory group on child poverty.
Mana leader, Hone Harawira, says it’s clearly aimed at his ‘Feed the Kids’ bill now before parliament.
He says while it’s a good start, eliminating child poverty in Aotearoa is not about charity and neither should it rely on public-private partnerships.
He is urging people to lobby their MP to support his bill at the select committee stage, so the country has a chance to hear from teachers, parents, doctors, children, nurses, and child support agencies about the problem.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
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