Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

to move:

That the House:

(1)

notes that:

(a)

eating disorders—anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and related disorders—are not illnesses of choice, but rather life-threatening mental disorders;

(b)

anorexia is the third most prevalent chronic illness in adolescent girls after obesity and asthma and has one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric disorder;

(c)

one in 20 Australian women has admitted to having suffered an eating disorder; and

(2)

expresses serious concern about recent reports that eating disorders are on the increase, especially among school-aged children;

(3)

condemns the lack of government funding for the prevention and treatment of eating disorders; and

(4)

urges the Government to:

(a)

convene a national summit on body image to develop a national code of conduct to ensure the media, fashion industry and advertisers portray a healthy and diverse range of men and women; and

(b)

become a signatory to the Worldwide Charter for Action on Eating Disorders, which calls on those responsible for policy to educate and inform the community with programs that:

(i)

de-stigmatise eating disorders and raise awareness of the causes of eating disorders;

(ii)

increase public awareness of the signs and symptoms of eating disorders;

(iii)

make available comprehensive information about eating disorder services and resources;

(iv)

connect with the media to provide accurate information on eating disorders and to help shift the culture’s perspective on body image issues and weight and food issues;

(v)

develop and implement effective prevention programs targeting schools and universities;

(vi)

educate and train health care practitioners at all levels in the recognition and treatment of eating disorders to improve the quality of care;

(vii)

provide sufficient specialist services based on regional need;

(viii)

provide people with access to fully-funded, specialised treatment and care; and

(ix)

fund research into eating disorders.

to move:

That the House:

(1)

acknowledges that Australians receive over one billion telemarketing calls each year;

(2)

notes the massive frustration that unwanted telemarketing calls cause the people of Australia;

(3)

welcomes the Government’s long-overdue decision to finally adopt Labor’s policy for a national Do Not Call Register;

(4)

expresses its concern over the Government’s delay in setting up the national Do Not Call Register;

(5)

notes that, although the Minister promised the Do Not Call Register would be established in early 2007, there are fears that it will not be up-and-running until at least late 2007, because the Government has not yet called for tenders for a service provider; and

(6)

urges the Government to stop delaying the implementation of the national Do Not Call Register and expedite its establishment.

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