Melbourne school reverses ban on Mother's Day stall

  • 09/05/2017
Bill Shorten and daughter Clementine (Getty)
Bill Shorten and daughter Clementine (Getty)

Australia's Opposition leader has helped keep a Melbourne primary school's Mother's Day stall alive after lobbying his daughter's principal.

Mondee Ponds West Primary School in Melbourne intended to put the tradition on hold and was going to instead be celebrating the UN International Day of Families.

"I believe celebrating International Day of Families is a more inclusive way of celebrating the richness, diversity and complexity of living and loving as a family in the modern world," principal Jeff Lyon wrote in the school's latest newsletter.

The decision to not hold the event - where children can spend their pocket money on small gifts for mum - caused outrage among parents who thought the plan was ludicrous, the Australian reports.

It riled one important parent in particular - Bill Shorten  who called the school to try and get the decision reversed.

"I've spoken to the principal this evening and I understand there will be a Mother's Day stall."

The school is in Mr Shorten's electorate.

One parent and former pupil of the school, Samantha Hanna, said parents were surprised by the move.

"I remember as a kid lining up and agonising over whether to get mum the soap on the rope or the scented candle, and now I love getting these little gifts from my own kids," she told the Australian.

Newshub.