Chief Minister Gallagher is happily announcing ^[1] that a great many Canberrans have traded tinned food for their library fines.

ACT Chief Minister and Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Katy Gallagher, today announced that over 2,900 kilograms of food was donated to charity as part of the Food for Fines initiative run by Libraries ACT last month.

The campaign encouraged library members to donate tins or packets of non-perishable food in exchange for fines being removed from their membership record. One tin or packet of non-perishable food equalled $2 worth of fines.

“Following the success of previous Food for Fines amnesties, a winter appeal was held this year for the month of June, with all food being donated to OzHarvest Canberra, which provides food to more than 60 charities across the ACT and Queanbeyan,” the Chief Minister said.

“A total of 6,458 items were donated across Libraries ACT’s nine branches, with three of the libraries – Dickson, Gungahlin and Woden – having over 1,000 items donated at each. Dickson Library received the highest figure with a total of 1,213 items donated.