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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 100 asked in the Legislative Council on 19 February 2020 by Hon Colin Tincknell

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

SCHOOLS — CANTEENS

100. Hon COLIN TINCKNELL to the Minister for Education and Training:

(1) With rates of obesity and tooth decay on the rise in school-aged children in Western Australia, and with significant evidence that good nutrition is essential to efficient learning in schools, does the Department of Education, or any other government or non-government organisation, have any oversight over what children are consuming in our school canteens?

(2) Are any government-approved guidelines in place for canteen operators to consult; and, if so, who makes or approves these guidelines; and, if not, why not?

Hon SUE ELLERY replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.

(1)–(2) The Department of Education's healthy food and drink in public schools policy and procedures require principals to adopt a whole-school approach to healthy eating within the school community that is informed by the national healthy school canteens guidelines and the Australian dietary guidelines. Permission for an external provider to use a school's premises as a canteen/food service is granted only on the basis that the healthy food and drink in public schools policy and procedures are implemented.

In addition, the Federation of Canteens in Schools Inc is a not-for-profit charity and peak body representing school canteens in Australia. The FOCIS product registration program and nutrient criteria are based on the national healthy school canteens guidelines and the Australian dietary guidelines.