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29 June 2004 - Media ReleaseLazy Libs forced to follow Labor’s lead on obesityLabor has forced the Howard Government to act on childhood obesity after years of lazy and ignorant neglect. In October 2003 Labor released its $25m policy tackling obesity and promoting community wellbeing – Labor’s Plan for a Healthier and More Active Australia. In June 2004 Labor strengthened this policy by announcing a ban on junk food advertising targeting young children It was only after Labor released these policies that the Howard Government grudgingly acknowledged that it had to do more than provide lip service on the issue of healthy lifestyles, and in particular childhood obesity. As a result the Howard Government today belatedly announced an injection of funding. In fact the elements of the Howard Government’s policy, and even the title, Healthy Active Australia, directly reflect initiatives that were announced as part of Labor’s policy last October. While Labor welcomes any initiative that offers more funding to promote physical activity and participation, John Howard’s Building a Healthy Active Australia initiative is a short term, vote buying strategy that has been thrown together in response to Labor’s ongoing pressure. The Howard Government has finally followed Labor’s lead and conceded the urgent need to take action. Labor will ensure that, if elected, these resources are spent more effectively in the community to increase physical activity, promote better nutrition and support parents in improving their children’s wellbeing. Contact: Kate Roffey - (02) 6277 3334 or 0417 148 059
29 June 2004 - Media ReleaseDigital divide only a concern if someone else pays….The real digital divide in Australia is the one left by the Howard Government after closing down many community based public internet access centres around the country. In the Prime Ministers own words yesterday at the announcement of a $40 million contribution by Microsoft to address the digital divide: “But what I think is remarkable about Unlimited Potential, what is remarkable about the contribution that Microsoft is making, is the personal commitment of Bill Gates, to use an Australian expression, to putting something back.” John Howard, 28 June 2004 But the one person not putting “anything back” is John Howard. By the end of this month, most of the community connectivity projects funded under Networking the Nation will shut down by the Howard Government. Although this program was ad-hoc, it serviced the needs of many disadvantaged communities around Australia. Now John Howard has tried to claim the goodwill of a US software company as his own policy. The fact is that Microsoft's philanthropic investments in many countries around the world. If the funding from Microsoft is the only money to be invested in this crucial area of public policy, then we are still going backwards. John Howard has every reason to be “delighted to associate the Commonwealth Government of Australia with this project” because Microsoft is backfilling a Howard Government black hole. That said, this project does represent a substantial donation to a difficult and sadly persistent problem and is therefore welcome. Labor looks forward to a bi partisan approach for the implementation of this program in cities and regions around Australia. Contact: Adina Cirson - (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295
24 June 2004 - Media ReleaseAustralian talent brings anti-FTA message to Canberra
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The Committee’s media statements on the Oak Trees can be found here. |
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The Committee’s media statements on the Bushfire Memorial can be found here. |
Contact: Adina Cirson - (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295
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
Serious allegations were revealed today about drugs in sport at the Australian Institute of Sport Del Monte facility in Adelaide.
Senator Kemp must now clarify what he knows about these allegations, and what he intends to do to address them.
When I questioned Senator Kemp on this case during Senate Estimates Committee hearings two weeks ago, he failed to answer. In Question Time yesterday Senator Kemp also failed to say whether he was satisfied with the Sports Commission’s handling of the case against cyclist Mark French.
Today we have heard of allegations that up to five other cyclists at the Australian Institute of Sport’s Adelaide facility used cyclist Mark French’s room as an injecting room for prohibited substances, including glucocorticosteroid and Equine Growth Hormone.
A completely independent inquiry must be established to examine these very serious allegations of drugs in Australian sport. The inquiry must be fully independent from the Australian Sports Commission, the Australian Institute of Sports, the National Sporting Organisation involved (Cycling Australia) and the Government.
Contact: Kate Roffey - (02) 6277 3334 or 0411 969 364
The Prime Minister's grandiose statement that a ban on junk food advertising has been widely condemned throughout the Australian community is not only ludicrous, it is a blatant lie.
Let the evidence speak for itself.
So who is out of line?
Contact: Kate Roffey - (02) 6277 3334 or 0411 969 364
In this years budget, Minister Kemp took the unprecedented step of directing the Australia Council to allocate half of the additional funding received in the Budget to a single recipient – The Melba Foundation for the promotion of Australian operatic performers through its record label – Melba Records.
Arts Minister Rod Kemp today refused to answer questions about whether the direction given to the Australia Council was in fact a breach of the Australia Council Act of 1975.
Nor would he answer questions surrounding speculation that the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts actually advised against granting these funds to the Melba Foundation.
The purpose of a Statutory independence is to ensure that funding decisions are not subject to the political agendas of the government of the day, whichever party, nor the personal preferences of Arts Minister or other members of government.
Clearly the Howard Government has once again instead chosen blatant political interference rather than reliance on the advice from its own Department and that of its peak policy and advisory body – The Australia Council for the Arts.
The compromising situation that the Australia Council has been placed in is unacceptable and threatens the very integrity and arms- length independence that embodies the Australia Council’s charter.
Contrary to Minister Kemps claims, Labor is not expressing a view on the merits of this project, but cannot understand why the Australia Council was not granted the $5 million to assess Melba’s application alongside other applicants.
This is yet another Howard Government attack on the independence of cultural institutions in Australia.
Contact: Kate Roffey - (02) 6277 3334 or 0411 969 364
The Prime Minister's inane comment that the government should not interfere with parental responsibility is simply another example of the Howard Government's steadfast refusal to help protect the health of Australia's children.
Leading industry groups, such as the Australian Medical Association, Young Media Australia, and the Coalition on Food Advertising to Children (CFAC), have continually called on the Howard Government to take action and ban junk food advertising to children. To date the Howard Government has continued to shirk its social responsibility.
CFAC Chairperson Kaye Mehta highlighted this issue in the following statement:
"It is heartening to see the Opposition Party show leadership on this issue, and take this obviously difficult issue on.
In contrast it has been disappointing that our Federal Government has refused to engage with this issue seriously and appears to have bowed to pressure by the industries involved".
Labor knows that junk food advertising is not the cause of obesity, and that banning junk food advertising will not cure Australia's obesity problem. That is why Labor last year released a comprehensive cross-portfolio policy Tackling Obesity and Promoting Community Wellbeing: Labor's plan for a healthier and more Active Australia. This policy commits a total of $25 million toward tackling obesity, $10 million of which is directed specifically toward childhood obesity.
Labor believes however that it is irresponsible for a Government which is committed to caring for the health of our children not to extend the boundaries that protect our children where necessary - in this case by banning junk food advertising during children's television viewing hours.
The irrefutable reality is that companies advertise their products to influence choices. It is negligent to allow the promotion of unhealthy food and drink products to children who do not have the necessary understanding to discern between healthy and unhealthy eating messages.
This is the very fact that goes to the heart of the issue of free speech. Free speech presumes the intellectual capacity to make educated decisions. Clearly differ significantly from adults in terms of cognitive function. Children do not have the same ability to discern the motivations behind the messages they are viewing that adults do.
Banning junk food advertising is not an inhibition of free speech; it is a case of a responsible Government taking a decisive stand to help protect our children.
Working to stem the rapid increase in overweight and obesity rates is a job that must be done by parents, government and community working together. It is not only irresponsible to place responsibility solely on the shoulders of parents, it is unfair.
Parents need the support of Government and community to provide more opportunities for physical activity, to provide better health education for all Australians, and to take strong social stands where they are warranted.
Labor has always stood tall on difficult issues. Labor took the initiative of banning tobacco advertising to protect the health of all Australians, in particular children. For the same reason Labor will take a stand against the unrestricted advertising of junk foods to children where the Howard Government has failed to do so.
A ban on junk food advertising during children’s programs can only assist the nation’s health care and the fight against childhood obesity.
Under a Labor Government all food and drink advertising will be banned during all P (preschool) and C (children) classified programs, and during G (General) classified programs that are, as defined by the ABA, clearly aimed primarily at children. Such a ban will not preclude the promotion of healthy eating messages via community service announcements and the like.
Contact: Kate Roffey - (02) 6277 3334 or 0411 969 364
The Prime Minister in Question Time today has shown his lack of understanding of the ways in which Government can assist parents in combating childhood obesity.
Labor supports a ban on junk food advertising during children’s television programs. This will assist parents with the dietary habits of their children. The task of parents is made easier if their children are not constantly requesting junk food and sugary drinks.
Television advertising that influences infant children in this way can also have a detrimental long term impact. It can entrench eating habits that flow through to the teenage years.
A ban on junk food advertising during children’s programs can only assist the nation’s health care and the fight against childhood obesity.
Under a Labor Government all food and drink advertising will be banned during all P (preschool), C (children) classified programs, and during G (General) classified programs that are, as defined by the ABA, clearly aimed primarily at children. Such a ban will not preclude the promotion of healthy eating messages via Community Service Announcements and the like.
A total ban on all food and drink advertising during television programs aimed directly at children is considered to be the only option that will have a genuine impact on "junk" food advertising to children.
While there are many organisations who offer general food consumption guidelines, there are currently no guidelines that are specific enough to determine what individual foods are considered suitable for promotion to children so restrictions based on guidelines are not considered feasible.
It is also possible; in fact highly likely, that any restriction based on guidelines would be circumvented by so-called "junk" food companies using healthy foods to continue to promote their brand name.
While we understand that television advertising is by no means the only factor that influences children's eating habits, it is one factor that can be controlled by a responsible Federal Government taking action to stop the direct advertising of "junk" food and drinks to our children.
Australian studies show that around 80 per cent of foods advertised during children's television programs are for non-nutritious or unhealthy foods, and at 12 per hour Australia has more television food advertisements during children's programming times than any other country, including the US and UK.
Labor knows that children do not have the same capacity that adults have to make educated healthy lifestyle and dietary choices and believes that those in leadership positions should take an active role in ensuring that children are given every opportunity to enjoy a long and healthy life.
Labor will take action where the Howard Government has for eight years, neglected to do so.
Contact: Kate Roffey - (02) 6277 3334 or 0411 969 364
While I welcome the selection made by the Australian Film Commission of Dr Paolo Cherchi Usai to take over as Director of the National Screen and Sound Archive, Labor maintains that this decision should not have been made before a Federal Election.
Labor announced in February that the National Film and Sound Archive would be established as a Statutory Authority under a Latham Labor Government.
As a result of this untimely decision, Dr Cherchi Usai now faces enormous challenges which are the direct result of the Howard Government’s attempts to undermine the integrity and identity of the Archive through its merger with the Australian Film Commission.
Labor has consistently called for the Howard Government to implement caretaker arrangements for the Archive and to quarantine the archive from further change.
Labor’s plan to establish the National Film and Screen Archive as a Statutory Authority will ensure that the Archive remains a vital and independent part of Australia’s cultural heritage.
Australia’s national collection of Australia’s film and sound heritage must be protected and the Howard Government’s illogical marriage of convenience must be undone.
Contact: Adina Cirson - (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295
Blueprint plans to have elite athletes repay money received via scholarship programs under a HECS type repayment scheme are potentially significantly flawed, due mainly to the misguided belief that the majority of elite athletes earn more than the average person during their sporting careers.
While there are some high profile sports people who do earn millions, the fact is that for the vast majority of elite athletes, their quest to bring sporting glory for their country actually leaves them out-of-pocket.
When referring to incomes for those whose earnings come from sport, two important factors must be taken into account.
Firstly, sports careers have a limited life span and the earning capacity of most athletes is limited to a relatively short period of success at the top. These earnings must be considered in both the context of compensating for out of pocket expenses incurred during ten years or more required to reach the top of the sporting field, and also of providing a base on which to build a future.
Secondly, unlike those who complete a university education, the skills and abilities learned during a sporting career rarely offer options for ongoing earnings in later life. As a result many athletes must both study and train to set themselves up for a future, and often incur both a HECS debt and out of pocket expenses due to costs associated with climbing to the ranks of elite sport.
While the concept of sports stars who earn mega-bucks repaying something to the system that nurtured that career has some merit, it is important to ensure that in a grab for the tax dollar, we are not lulled into a misguided belief that highly paid long-term sports careers are the rule, not the exception.
Contact: Kate Roffey - (02) 6277 3334 or 0411 969 364
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