Students at Majura Primary School in Canberra are helping to fight Australia’s growing obesity problem through their participation in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden National Program, which was launched today.
The Australian Government has committed $12.8 million to implement the program, which is to be rolled out in up to 190 Government primary schools nationally. Representing the Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, at the launch, ACT Senator Kate Lundy said Majura Primary students were to be congratulated on successfully implementing the program and becoming a role model for other schools.
Each school in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden National Program receives up to $60,000 to help with the construction of infrastructure for the program, such as new kitchens and gardens.
The program’s founder, Stephanie Alexander, who has championed the quality and diversity of Australian food since opening her first restaurant in 1964, praised the children, teachers, volunteers and parents for their hard work establishing the program at Majura Primary.
It was selected as the demonstration school to help increase accessibility to the program and act as a training centre for other participating schools in the Australian Capital Territory.
Senator Lundy said the Australian Government was committed to tackling the challenge of increasing rates of childhood obesity through instilling healthy lifestyle habits at an early age.
“The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden National Program is just one of many solutions the Government is putting in place to help tackle the problem of ever-increasing rates of overweight Australians,” Senator Lundy said.
“Developing healthy eating and exercise habits early in life will give the next generation the skills necessary to help avoid lifestyle-related chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and other serious, but largely preventable illnesses.”
For further information about the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden National Program go to www.healthyactive.gov.au/kitchengarden
Media contact: Annika Hutchins (Senator Kate Lundy) 0407 458 882
