HEALTHY EATING PROGRAM

Ms FOX (Bright) (14:16): My question is directed to the Minister for Education and Children's Services. How are schools embracing the move to healthy food sales in school canteens?

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): The member for Bright would recall that, some two years ago, we signalled our intention to ban the sale of junk food in school canteens. Since that time, we have worked with school communities and we have held workshops across the state dealing with not just school councils and administration but canteen managers and also industry groups to prepare them for the reform in our canteen sales. We are continuing now to work with schools since the introduction of a junk food ban in canteens by providing additional information tips and budgeting advice (which the member for Unley's local school, Parkside Primary School, said was very helpful) and partnering successful schools with those that require extra assistance.

I take this opportunity to thank schools, canteens, students, parents and industry leaders who have worked with us on this initiative, which we believe is a significant one in the fight against obesity and the attempts to improve healthy weights and living in our young people. It is a particular pity that those opposite have sought, at every turn, to criticise and undermine our work on healthy food sales in canteens. In fact, they seem to forget that the data suggests—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley will come to order!

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH: —that, indeed, we are the last generation who can hope to live longer than our parents and, indeed, our children will be the first generation to expect to live less time than we do because of the weight, the intensity of the diabetes epidemic and general illnesses within our community. It is important that all of us look at these issues seriously. The member for Unley's latest 'stunt' has been to write to schools incorrectly suggesting there is financial assistance to prop up struggling canteens. This is nothing short of desperation. In fact, the reality is clearly the member for Unley would like us to return to the days of greasy chips and doughnuts in our canteens, and he, unlike us, does not put children's health first.

In fact, I believe that no parent would want to put the profits of a canteen ahead of healthy lifestyles for their children, and it would appear that many schools agree with us. I would like to share with those opposite some of the views of our schools around the state. Some of these have been recorded in newspapers, but I will quote some of them:

'Canteen turnover has been better than previous years which surprised us a bit,' said the Hallett Cove South Primary School Principal Max Rayner.

Warradale Primary School Principal, Susan Clarke, said that the school began phasing in the healthy menus last year and the feedback so far had been excellent. She said that canteen turnover had remained steady and had slightly increased. Edwardstown Primary School Principal, Tony Sullivan, said:

We were a little bit concerned the menus could compromise the viability of the canteen but that hasn't been the case.

From the Hills & Valley Messenger in March:

Thiele Primary School Principal Steve Freeman said students were 'enjoying' more healthy foods, with the number of items sold at the school's canteen increasing 'significantly'. It was amazing how quick the take-up was. We've always had a healthy canteen, but this (program) has made it easier.

Quoting from the Southern Times Messenger, Woodcroft Primary School Principal, Anne Kibble, a fabulous school, said that the canteen was making at least $500 a day compared with about $440 before the policy was introduced in term 1. She said:

Our fruit salads are walking out the door and gradually we'll add soup and corn on the cob, so it's been a really popular changeover.

Hackham East School's K-7 canteen manager, Coralie Goodman, said that children had responded well to the healthy choice menu, boosting takings by about $50 a day. In addition, the Principal of the Reynella South Primary School said that business at the canteen had never been better. He said further:

We've introduced some tasty things that are also healthy and nutritious and we certainly haven't noticed a drop off in sales.

The list goes on. Doing what is right is often going to be very difficult, but we do not resile from our determination to make healthy life styles a big initiative in our schools because we want to raise healthy young South Australians for the future.