Margaret May (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

to move:

That the House:

(1)

recognises that:

(a)

high blood pressure is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease and renal failure;

(b)

cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability in Australia, claiming the lives of 50,294 people in 2002, or 38 per cent of all deaths;

(c)

around 3.67 million Australians are affected by heart, stroke and vascular diseases;

(d)

1.10 million Australians are disabled long-term by heart, stroke and vascular diseases;

(e)

the prevalence of heart, stroke and vascular conditions increased by 18.2 per cent over the last decade; and

(f)

the total burden of heart, stroke and vascular diseases is expected to increase over the coming decades;

(2)

also recognises that:

(a)

salt appears to be the necessary cause of high blood pressure; and

(b)

controlling one’s salt intake plays a big role in controlling one’s blood pressure, which in turn reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease;

(3)

calls on the Australian Government to:

(a)

educate the Australian people on the dangers of a high salt diet; and

(b)

follow the United Kingdom’s example and label food with green lights, which identify at a glance the best foods on the market for salt content; and

(4)

on a bipartisan level, encourage Australians to reduce their salt intake and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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