2. Hon MARIAN HOBBS (Labour—Wellington Central) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
What is the Government doing to support schools to promote healthy eating and encourage students to become more active?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) Link to this
I have a healthy answer. The Government is investing $67 million over 4 years in a campaign to improve nutrition and physical activity amongst young New Zealanders. Initiatives that support schools and early childhood services to play their part include nutrition guidelines, a food and drink classification system, school-based health promotions, professional development for teachers, a $3 million regional nutrition fund, and high-profile events to encourage students to get involved in learning about good nutrition.
Other than walking the talk, what has the response been to the Labour-led Government’s commitment to improving nutrition in school and early childhood environments?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I certainly would urge members of Parliament to walk the talk on this particular issue in order to give young people a good example. The response from both the education and the health sectors has been along those lines—overwhelmingly positive. The campaign has been endorsed by the Heart Foundation, the Medical Association, food industry groups, the Post Primary Teachers Association, the New Zealand Educational Institute, and teachers and principals. Many schools around the country, of course, have already taken up this challenge. One example is the success of the Government’s Fruit in Schools programme, which, my colleague Pete Hodgson announced today, will double in size. Reports from 80 schools that run the programme include reduced absenteeism, increased attention in class, healthier children, and students encouraging the whole family to improve their nutrition.
Hon Brian Donnelly Link to this
Will the Minister consider compensating schools through increased operational funding, for the reduction of revenue they will confront from no longer selling goods, either in canteens or through fund-raising activities, that could be considered to be unhealthy?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
The campaign contains some money that may be helpful to schools that are in that situation. But most schools that have already gone down this track have found from their experience that they do not lose money; they just sell different goods from their tuck shops, and, as a result, gain the same kind of revenue.
Sue KedgleyIs he concerned that, despite the very innovative Fruit in Schools programme, every week New Zealand’s primary and immediate schools sell around 56,000 pies but just 4,000 pieces of fruit; and what work is being done to help to turn these numbers round?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Yes, of course, we are concerned, because we want to ensure that what is sold on school-grounds is healthy. So as part as the Mission-On campaign the Government, and the Green Party, of course, recently announced a $3 million-a-year nutrition fund to help schools and early childhood services become healthier eating environments for children. That funding was secured by the Green Party as part of its post-election agreement with the Government. It will be available from term 1 next year, and supports school and student-led initiatives such as healthier choices in the school canteen, shared fruit breaks for students, and water-only schools. That is a good, practical Green-led initiative.
Is he concerned that these excellent healthy eating messages and initiatives in schools are being undermined by some of the sponsorship activities in schools carried out by companies—for example, fast-food companies giving away vouchers for hamburgers, chips, and pizzas as rewards for good behaviour—and would he therefore consider moves to make our schools commercial-free zones?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Yes, there are concerns about the promotion of particular foods to young people—food that may be high in salt, fat, or sugar. We will be working with the schools on guidelines for what should be consumed on school-grounds, as well as guidelines on what can be sold on school-grounds. We hope, as I mentioned before, that a much healthier eating environment will come out of that.