PREMIER'S BE ACTIVE CHALLENGE

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (14:16): My question is to the Minister for Education and Children's Services. What support is being provided to schools to help them take part in the Premier's Be Active Challenge?

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH (Adelaide—Minister for Education and Children's Services, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:16): I thank the member for Ashford for her question. I know that she is keenly interested in physical activity and health for students in schools and promotes these measures in her own electorate. Last year, the inaugural Premier's Be Active Challenge resulted in 7,500 students receiving a medal for successfully completing their four weeks, 60 minutes a day of physical activity.

This year, the involvement has increased with more than 22,000 students already registered and more expected. This year, schools will find the enrolment and maintenance of records easier to organise, since we have simplified the system for students recording their activity levels. We are also supporting schools with $500 grants, as part of a share of the $100,000 investment which is being distributed to the 202 schools that are sharing this sum. These are schools that have more than 100 students registered or more than 80 per cent enrolment in small schools.

I am pleased to say that this challenge support will help to buy new sporting equipment and also help with professional development for physical education teachers. Furthermore, following the success of the reading ambassadors in the Premier's very successful Reading Challenge, we have introduced the concept of 'challenge ambassadors', using prominent South Australian sportspeople to visit schools and inspire children to be active.

The people involved to date are Brett Burton from the Adelaide Crows, who has visited Lockleys Primary School, and Sam Woosnam, the captain of Adelaide Lightening, who has been to Wallaroo Mines Primary School. In the coming weeks, Warren Tredrea will visit Murray Bridge Special School and Murray Bridge South Primary School, and his team mate, Shaun Burgoyne, will visit Victor Harbor High and Goolwa Primary School.

Teaching students about the importance of a healthy diet and regular physical activity is a very significant and complementary part of the government's activities in order to reduce obesity in young people. We believe that the Premier's Be Active Challenge is another component of what is an overall whole-of-government strategy in this area.

Controlling obesity, of course, does not stop at the school gate. It involves parents and the community and an understanding of good diet and nutrition, as well as increasing activity. I am pleased to say that the measures we have taken in schools, which deal with canteens, managements, the traffic light system, the Minister for Health's activity with EPODE, and a whole range of other investments, mean that the government is working across portfolios to reduce obesity and increase physical fitness in our young people.