After years of neglect the Howard Government has finally recognised the importance of physical activity and nutrition education in the fight against obesity.
The Howard Government ignored Labor’s calls for increased funding for physical activity and participation, choosing instead to administer wide spread funding cuts to existing programs between 1996 and 2004, including axing Active Australia.
It is hypocritical for Senator Humphries to now feign belated concern, when the Howard Government has contributed directly to the dramatic increase of obesity related health problems, including life threatening diseases as a result of their neglect.
Approximately 25% of Australian children and adolescents are currently overweight or obese, representing a 20% increase since 1996.
Labor released its Tackling Obesity and Promoting Community Wellbeing: Labor’s Plan for a Healthier and More Active Australia – back in October 2003 – with an initial commitment of $25 million, later increased to $116 million, representing the first concerted federal move towards improving the general health and wellbeing of all Australians.
The Liberal party were then forced to react to Labor’s leadership on the obesity issue.
Unfortunately, the Howard Government’s program does not address the critical body image issues of childhood wellbeing and when Labor announced its commitment to ban junk food advertising targeting young children to assist parents, the Howard Government refused to support the plan.
Obesity continues to kill Australians, and costing the health system around $100 million a year – yet it is only because of the leadership shown by Labor that the Howard Government has acted at all.
Contact: Adina Cirson – 0418 488 295 or 02 6277 3334
