Page 229 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 28 November 2012
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targeting children including promotion of active play, managing screen time, promoting and supporting the adoption of healthy eating habits and the acceptance of water as the drink of choice. Resources and programs have also been developed to support breastfeeding.
Achievements to date include the implementation of the national school canteen guidelines in April 2011, and I remember going with the Chief Minister and Dr Bourke to Hawker College in my electorate before the election where we launched an initiative for drinking water; the launch of ride or walk to school to encourage active travel in ACT schools; the launch of healthy food and sport in partnerships with sport and recreation; and the development of the healthy food at and school program.
The government has also been targeting workplaces promoting activity, healthy eating, smoking cessation, reduced alcohol consumption and stress management. A range of initiatives have been developed, including a pilot in five diverse ACT workplaces, to trial strategies and tools to support workplace health and wellbeing. In the Health Directorate a staff health and wellbeing initiative called “My health” has been established.
I would like to commend the government for recognising the need for a coordinated approach to tackle the risk factors that contribute to obesity. I am aware that a whole-of-government approach is now being led by the Chief Health Officer, and a further $300,000 has been allocated in the 2012-13 budget to develop a healthy weight action plan to support this whole-of-government project. The Health Directorate has also recently launched its physical activity strategic framework 2012-15 and the food and nutrition strategic framework 2012-18.
The government’s focus is not only on obesity. We know that tobacco, as mentioned before, is a risk factor for a number of preventable diseases, and I am supportive of the government’s initiatives that target vulnerable groups. For example, the Chief Health Officer’s report found that tobacco use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents was significantly higher than reported by non-Aboriginal residents. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who gave birth were also significantly more likely to report tobacco use than non-Aboriginal ACT women giving birth.
At 6 pm, in accordance with standing order 34, the debate was interrupted. The motion for the adjournment of the Assembly having been put and negatived, the debate was resumed.
MS PORTER: To address this, work is underway to implement the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tobacco control strategy, which includes a new social and marketing campaign to encourage healthy lifestyles and smoking cessation in the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. The campaign will feature locally nominated champions talking about their motivation to live a healthy lifestyle. In addition, the Aboriginal midwifery program provided by Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service provides support and education to women about the risk of smoking in pregnancy.
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