Media statement
For immediate release
Tuesday, 8 May 2007

Turner: schools for teaching, not feeding

United Future deputy leader Judy Turner commends the Red Cross for starting a food in low decile schools programme, but questions why it has become necessary.

"Where are the parents in all this? When we spend billions a year on payments to families, how is it possible for children to arrive at school ill-fed and hungry?" she asks.

"The Red Cross is working at one end of the problem, but the Government has to get really stuck in at the other end with widespread parenting and family budget management programmes so we can see this appalling situation wiped out for good."

ENDS