Labor welcomes initiatives that promote physical activity amongst children.
Labor notes that a school which has a broad range of well established sporting facilities will be better able to achieve these goals than a school that struggles to find funding for sports facilities.
This is even more reason why all schools should be funded on the basis of need so that students have the resources they need to participate in this initiative.
Otherwise, the Howard Government’s plan to tie funding to predesignated benchmarks like physical activity levels could end up penalising those schools who most need funding support.
In October last year, Labor launched its comprehensive cross-portfolio policy Tackling Obesity and Promoting Community Wellbeing: Labor’s plan for a healthier and more Active Australia.
A key element of this policy is Labor’s national strategy to reduce childhood obesity which will provide for the first time a coordinated approach to reducing childhood obesity levels.
Labor identified schools as playing a vital role in reducing childhood obesity.
Labor’s policy states that “the provision of appropriate physical activity and sport in schools is an important component of promoting healthy lifestyle choices amongst Australia’s children.”
Labor will develop a “National Schools Physical Activity Taskforce to develop a comprehensive set of national school participation models that will assist all schools to successfully meet their obligations concerning the health and wellbeing of all children.”
Labor believes that the provision of appropriate physical activity and sport in schools is an important component of promoting healthy lifestyle choices amongst Australia’s children.
Contact: Kate Roffey – (02) 6277 3334 or 0411 969 364
