'Wake up' drink for Aussie students on ice

Apr 18, 2011 |

Sydney

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An Australian state government on Monday dropped a ‘bizarre’ idea to develop a drink for high school students designed to aid their mental alertness.

The Victoria government had advertised for businesses interested in developing a non-caffeine energy drink for students aged 12 to 19 as part of a broader Aus$28 million (US$29.6 million) grants programme.

"There is a need for a pleasant-tasting, attention-sustaining, low-priced drink that enables secondary school students to work safely and with sustained alertness all day," it read.

Education Minister Martin Dixon said the idea had come from students, and while the Department for Business and Innovation had advertised to gauge interest in developing the product, it would go no further.

"We haven't put any Education Department money into it because that's not the sort of thing that we do," he told ABC Radio.

"But good on the kids for coming up with an innovative idea."

The Victorian head of the Australian Education Union Mary Bluett said she was at first surprised and thought the advertisement was a joke.

"I went from this is hysterical, to this is bizarre, to this is absolutely outrageous," she said.

Opposition spokesman Rob Hulls said: "It's the government that needs to wake up."

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