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· Funding for services providing food relief remains in limbo

· School breakfast programs under threat of closing

· Peter Gutwein must show compassion and stand up to his Federal colleagues

Tasmanian families who have struggled to put food on the table during the festive season have been dealt a second blow as they prepare for a new school year without certainty that vital food relief services – including school breakfast programs – will continue.

Labor Member for Franklin, Alison Standen, said the Liberals had assured Tasmanians that funding would be resolved by the end of January.

“Tasmanian organisation Loaves and Fishes provides around 70 per cent of the state’s emergency food relief, servicing 220 community food programs and 38 school breakfast clubs.

“Yet their southern operations, supporting 134 community food programs, are at risk of closure due to missing out on $150 000 Federal Government funding.

“Tasmanians were assured that funding would be resolved by the end of January – it is cruel for the Government to keep families anxiously awaiting news of a further lifeline to continue vital emergency food relief services across southern Tasmania.

“The closure of school breakfast programs will jeopardise the health and learning of students across southern Tasmania and put more pressure on overstretched household budgets.

“The tens of thousands of people who depend on this service can rightly be asking why Peter Gutwein won’t stand up for this valuable service.

“The Premier has recently acknowledged that a key challenge is to ensure that no Tasmanian is left behind.

“Peter Gutwein must show compassion by lobbying his Federal colleagues to reinstate funding for the organisations that make sure Tasmanians can access emergency food relief.”

Alison Standen MP

Labor Member for Franklin