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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-05-19 Daily Xml
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RIGHT BITE PROGRAM

Mr PISONI (Unley) (14:58): My question is for the Minister for Education. Will the minister explain why the government has cut funding to the Right Bite program which promotes healthy eating in schools?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Minister for Education, Minister for Early Childhood Development, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:59): I think there is a bit of confusion about that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I thank the honourable member for his question. I have heard this furphy raised before and I will get a more detailed answer and bring it back to the member. The Right Bite program has not been cut. There was a program that was put in place by the government in this area that had a particular lifespan, and that came to its natural end. The government is investing in a range of strategies in this area, and continues to invest in them, but I will bring a fuller answer back to the house so the honourable member can hear about that.

Of course, both the education portfolios and the health portfolios are working closely together to promote healthy eating behaviours in schools. Indeed, the OPAL program itself is directed very substantially at this issue, so there are a range of investments across both the health and the education portfolios which are directed at improving the quality of the nutrition that school kids get into their bodies.

There has been a range of policies at the level of the school which have assisted that, policies which have affected the sort of food that is available at canteens, and that has been a very powerful source of change for students. Of course, the public awareness campaign—which I understand is a health campaign—

The Hon. J.D. Hill: 5&2.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: 5&2, that's right—two pieces of fruit and five serves of vegetables a day. That is able to be presented graphically and is very easily understood by students, and there is evidence to suggest that that is having a significant effect on behaviour. So the resources that are going into this particular endeavour—that is, healthy eating—have been enhanced, and I think it is wrong to suggest there have been cuts, but I will bring back a fuller answer to the house.

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