Rite Bite

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:27): My question is for the Treasurer. Does the Treasurer agree that fresh fruit and vegetables are an important part of a child's daily diet? If so—

The Hon. R.I. Lucas: Agree—what did you say?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: An important part of a child's daily diet.

The Hon. R.I. Lucas: Strawberries, did you say?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: Just fresh fruit and vegetables; a fairly clear-cut fact. Will the Treasurer explain why the government cut not only an educational healthy eating program but a program that ensured 10 schools across the state, both in regional and metropolitan South Australia, schools like Swallowcliffe in Davoren Park, received fresh fruit and vegetables, through the Rite Bite program?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:27): As a representative of the government, I wholeheartedly endorse the consumption of plenty of fresh strawberries over the coming days and weeks and months, in terms of supporting our strawberry producers. Indeed, I am devastated that I was 30 seconds late for the photograph that the honourable member organised at 10 minutes past two, evidently, with all of us holding onto strawberries. I am not only devastated that I missed out on the photo, but I also missed out on the punnet of strawberries. I promised my wife over the lunch break that I was going to bring home a punnet of strawberries as a freebie, but I've missed out on that.

I wholeheartedly endorse the eating of healthy fruit and vegetables. I have to say, I am probably not the best advocate for the eating of fresh vegetables in the government. It is probably very wise that the Premier didn't appoint me as health minister, for a variety of reasons. I also hate injections, so the notion of once a year having to line up for blood donors or whatever it is, as all ministers of health seem to have to do, would have filled me with horror.

In relation to the specific program that the honourable member has referred to, which I assume is an education department-funded program, I will have to take advice from my much healthier colleague, the Minister for Education, in relation to what plans he has in place in relation to the healthy consumption of fruit and vegetables in very large proportions by all of our young people in South Australia.