Mr MILLS - 2006-10-18
The Access Economics report on The Economic Costs of Obesity was released this morning. A number of state governments have already adopted a mandatory code to assist school communities to fight this serious problem. While the report calls for state and territory governments to lift their efforts to combat this problem, the Territory government has yet to offer any direct support to school communities and families. What specific measures will you take in Territory schools to help address childhood obesity?
ANSWER
Mr Acting Speaker, I thank the member for his question and repeat what I said yesterday: my first and foremost responsibility as Education minister in the Northern Territory is to see improved education outcomes. That is where the focus is. I am not going to be distracted, or allow the department to be distracted, at a policy level, focusing on issues and ideas that come from interstate that are not a key priority for the department, or for myself as minister for Education in the Northern Territory.
As I said yesterday, until such time that we have Territory students above the national average in literacy and numeracy, our work is not done. Even when we are above the national average, our work is not done until we are the top of the ladder. We are a long way away from that, and what we have to do is focus on literacy and numeracy outcomes and not get distracted by debates that are occurring around Australia.
In regard to the report released by Access Economics today - and I have not seen a copy of the report yet - my advice is that there are no facts and figures for the Northern Territory specifically in that report. The member opposite states in his media release that: ‘Lazy government lets Territory kids get fat’, and he says: ‘We need decisive action to halt the surge in the number of obese kids and encourage healthy eating at school’. There is no evidence in the Northern Territory that has been brought to my attention that there is a surge of obese kids in the Northern Territory, and there is no reference to us in the report. In the member’s own release he says, ‘I fully expect the national figures will be reflected in the Territory’. There is no evidence that we have a growing epidemic of obese kids in the Territory. What we do have is very clear evidence that a number of our kids are underperforming in literacy and numeracy. That is where the evidence is and that is where the focus will be for my department.
In regard to the whole issue about traffic coding food in canteens and tuck shops, what a big difference this will make! Kids, at the most, get five meals a week in the schools, out of 15 meals a week that they may have. Most of the kids that I know, most of the days, take their own lunch to school, prepared at home. Is the member opposite going to legislate for mums and dads not to put biscuits in their school lunch boxes? Are we going to have legislation telling parents what they should be doing in terms of their kids’ lunch boxes?
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Mr Acting Speaker! With due respect for the Education minister, a briefing would assist you with your argument.
Mr ACTING SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr HENDERSON: There is no point of order because the focus for me as Education minister is going to be on literacy, numeracy and improving outcomes. I am not going to be distracted by traffic lights on food. It really is about parental responsibility, and the day we introduce legislation into this House telling mums and dads what they should be putting in lunch boxes for their kids is the day that we have taken our eye off the ball in terms of education.
ANSWER
Mr Acting Speaker, I thank the member for his question and repeat what I said yesterday: my first and foremost responsibility as Education minister in the Northern Territory is to see improved education outcomes. That is where the focus is. I am not going to be distracted, or allow the department to be distracted, at a policy level, focusing on issues and ideas that come from interstate that are not a key priority for the department, or for myself as minister for Education in the Northern Territory.
As I said yesterday, until such time that we have Territory students above the national average in literacy and numeracy, our work is not done. Even when we are above the national average, our work is not done until we are the top of the ladder. We are a long way away from that, and what we have to do is focus on literacy and numeracy outcomes and not get distracted by debates that are occurring around Australia.
In regard to the report released by Access Economics today - and I have not seen a copy of the report yet - my advice is that there are no facts and figures for the Northern Territory specifically in that report. The member opposite states in his media release that: ‘Lazy government lets Territory kids get fat’, and he says: ‘We need decisive action to halt the surge in the number of obese kids and encourage healthy eating at school’. There is no evidence in the Northern Territory that has been brought to my attention that there is a surge of obese kids in the Northern Territory, and there is no reference to us in the report. In the member’s own release he says, ‘I fully expect the national figures will be reflected in the Territory’. There is no evidence that we have a growing epidemic of obese kids in the Territory. What we do have is very clear evidence that a number of our kids are underperforming in literacy and numeracy. That is where the evidence is and that is where the focus will be for my department.
In regard to the whole issue about traffic coding food in canteens and tuck shops, what a big difference this will make! Kids, at the most, get five meals a week in the schools, out of 15 meals a week that they may have. Most of the kids that I know, most of the days, take their own lunch to school, prepared at home. Is the member opposite going to legislate for mums and dads not to put biscuits in their school lunch boxes? Are we going to have legislation telling parents what they should be doing in terms of their kids’ lunch boxes?
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Mr Acting Speaker! With due respect for the Education minister, a briefing would assist you with your argument.
Mr ACTING SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr HENDERSON: There is no point of order because the focus for me as Education minister is going to be on literacy, numeracy and improving outcomes. I am not going to be distracted by traffic lights on food. It really is about parental responsibility, and the day we introduce legislation into this House telling mums and dads what they should be putting in lunch boxes for their kids is the day that we have taken our eye off the ball in terms of education.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016