Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Hansard source

Perhaps it will suit the convenience of the chamber if I briefly outline some additional questions to the parliamentary secretary and then the remaining time can be taken by the parliamentary secretary in reply. There are some outstanding workforce issues which I asked about and which have not been answered. I will turn briefly to an alternative topic and seek answers to the following questions. Can the parliamentary secretary confirm that the only current Department of Health and Ageing initiative which directly addresses the issue of childhood obesity is the $15 million Healthy School Communities grants initiative? Can the parliamentary secretary tell us how many schools have applied for grants under this initiative and how many schools have received funding? Can the parliamentary secretary explain why the department’s website pages on overweight and obesity have not been updated since September 2002? Can the parliamentary secretary explain why the department’s website pages on nutrition and healthy eating and Eat Well Australia have not been updated since 9 October 2003? Can the parliamentary secretary explain why the department’s website pages on the National Child Nutrition Program, which was funded in 2001 to provide three-year community grants, say that half of the 110 projects funded will be completed by the end of 2003 and that summary reports will be available, but there is exactly one summary report on the website? What has happened to the more than 100 others that are missing? I ask that the parliamentary secretary, in the time remaining, address those questions and the remaining mental health questions.

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