OBESITY PREVENTION AND LIFESTYLE PROGRAM

Mrs GERAGHTY (Torrens) (14:33): My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Can he inform the house on the impact the Obesity Prevention and Lifestyle Program is having in South Australian communities?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts) (14:33): I thank the member for this question. It is an important question about an important area of policy. The Obesity Prevention and Lifestyle Program (known as OPAL colloquially) is the biggest single investment in decades to address levels of obesity among children in our state. It is one of our government's commitments to creating healthy and active neighbourhoods, and brings together a whole range of people within the community, such as schools, councils, doctors, leaders of sporting groups, social organisations, businesses, and so on, to work around the one issue—to try to reduce the level of obesity in that community.

As part of OPAL, a major evaluation of the project, I am pleased to say, is now underway. One part of the evaluation has been market research involving community members in the OPAL sites to gain an understanding of how the program is going. I am pleased to say that those initial results are encouraging. It is very early days but we are starting to see some impact, and I would like to advise the house of that impact.

I am advised that parents of children in OPAL communities report that their children have started to drink fewer sugar-sweetened beverages than in non-OPAL communities; that is, 46 per cent versus 40 per cent. There has also been a greater change in water and milk being provided as a first choice at snack or mealtimes by parents in OPAL communities: 8 per cent versus 4 per cent. These are obviously small changes but one way of looking at going from 4 per cent to 8 per cent is that it has doubled. We still have a long way to go, but it is very encouraging that we have started to see this improvement. It does require a long-term commitment.

Further, OPAL communities are reported to have made more change in reducing soft drink purchases: 15 per cent versus 11 per cent, and in reducing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption: 15 per cent versus 10 per cent. OPAL uses a thematic approach to the promotion it does in its area. One of the early themes was, 'Water. The Original Cool Drink.' From the market research just mentioned, it would appear that OPAL is having an impact in communities around that theme.

This is a unique investment. It involves all levels of government: commonwealth, state and local government. It is a 10-year program with a $40 million price tag. I am pleased to say that there is support from a whole range of sectors. It is really important that we receive broadbased community support for this: government, community and academics. The Scientific Advisory Committee guiding this initiative includes people with expertise in childhood obesity prevention, physical activity, population health, endocrinology—I can never say that word.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Thank you very much. I appreciate the bipartisan support from the leader. It is good to see a helpful interjection.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: You do have something in common, you were both part of New South Wales Labor.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: That is true, we were part of New South Wales Labor. I think I joined later though—clinical nutrition, social marketing, body image sensitivities and epidemiology. There is even support from the opposition leader, I am pleased to say. It is important that we have bipartisan support. She travelled to meet the founder of EPODE—the French program on which it is based—Jean Michel Borys, in France in 2009 and stated in her travel report that she:

...was impressed with the approach of Dr Borys to obesity and how it is best treated via a broad-based community approach.

The opposition leader in fact endorsed the expansion of the program into the older population, and I think that is worth considering. So, I do support this. It is important that we have bipartisanship. Unfortunately, the member for Unley does march to the beat of a different drum when it comes to this particular program. He marches in single file, I have to say. He is opposed to this program and has done everything—

Mr WILLIAMS: I rise on a point of order. The minister's opinion of the member for Unley and his motives for doing whatever he might do have nothing to do with answering the question.

The SPEAKER: I think the minister is aware of that.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I did not tell the house what my opinion of the member for Unley is. I would never ever burden the house with that point of view. Needless to say, I am trying to make the point that bipartisanship around this program is really important. Unfortunately, the Liberal Party is divided on this issue and it begs the question of whether this program would continue—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order.

Mr WILLIAMS: The minister is yet again indulging in debate.

The SPEAKER: I do not uphold that point of order. Minister, have you finished your answer?

The Hon. J.D. HILL: The point I was making is that it is important to know where the Liberal Party stands on this issue. If they were in government would they continue it, because the communities which are investing time and effort want to know?

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order. The Liberal Party makes its position very clear. It is not up to the minister to try to interpret what it is.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. We do not need a personal explanation here at this stage. Have you finished your answer, minister?

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I have.