PRESS RELEASE: National Roundtable Set to Address Urgent Challenges Facing School Canteens

The Federation of Canteens in Schools (FOCIS) will host a National Roundtable on Tuesday, 25 February 2025, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss the critical future of school canteens across Australia.

With school canteens playing an essential role in supporting children’s health, wellbeing, and sense of community, the sector faces growing challenges due to unsustainable volunteer models, funding gaps, and a lack of national coordination.

Leanne Elliston, FOCIS Chairperson and CEO of Nutrition Australia ACT, emphasised the importance of the National Roundtable in shaping the future of school canteens.

“This will be a crucial opportunity to hear from voices across the country, highlighting the key role of school canteens, and work towards long-term structural change,” Ms Elliston said.

“We need to ensure that school canteens, that provide access to fairly priced and nourishing food, are valued and embedded within the broader education system, with secure funding, employment opportunities, and sustainable infrastructure.”

The Roundtable will focus on three core policy priorities:

• Defining Responsibility – Advocating for Federal and State Governments to take responsibility for school canteens as an essential service for families across the country.
• Sustainable Resourcing – Calling for investment in existing canteens, which may include subsidised wages, training, and infrastructure, rather than replacing or removing these vital services.
• National Collaboration and Research – Exploring ways to establish a national standard for school canteens and securing bipartisan support for long-term policy commitment.

Attendees will participate in discussions on the biggest challenges facing school canteens and the support needed to ensure their long-term success. Interactive sessions will gather insights to help shape a national advocacy campaign following the Roundtable.

FOCIS will lead the representation of canteen sector stakeholders, volunteers, health professionals, and industry and community partners in contributing to a National Consensus Statement with recommendations that will shape a National Advocacy Strategy and formal policy statement aimed at securing government and philanthropic support.

For more information or to register interest, please contact:

Media contacts

Leanne Elliston
FOCIS Chairperson and Senior Dietitian/Chief Executive Officer at Nutrition Australia ACT
0406 631 510
[email protected]

Stacey Kershaw-Brant
Communications and Advocacy
FOCIS
0409 690 714
[email protected]

Media Contacts:

Name: Stacey Kershaw-brantCompany: [email protected]Email: Phone: 0409690714

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The Federation of Canteens in Schools (FOCIS) represents school canteens in Australia. As a peak body working with State and Territory Canteen Associations and Networks, we know school canteens are an integral part of the learning environment and play an important role in health promotion. FOCIS aims to support, promote, facilitate and empower school communities, State and Territory Canteen Associations and Networks, industry and government to enable stakeholders to make decisions that result in healthy food services. We are pleased to cover contemporary issues and assist in the coordination of the National School Food Network; a platform for collaboration and sharing successes, ideas and resources to support provision of healthy foods and drinks in Australian schools. We are also host of the National Roundtable to save our school canteens.