Let them eat cake, drink cola and go nuts

Anne Tolley today confirmed she is the Märie Antoinette of Education Ministers with her 'let them eat cake' and anything whatsoever attitude to food sold in schools, said the Green Party’s Health spokesperson Sue Kedgley.

Ms Kedgley said it was clear from her response to questions she asked in the House today that the Minister's decision to scrap a requirement that schools sell only healthy food was a purely political decision, not based on any evidence.

“The only core business that is likely to be assisted by Ms Tolley’s decision is the penetration of global fast food giants into our nation's schools, where they can continue to promote their brands to their hearts’ content."

“As a result of her decision schools are free to sell whatever high fat, high sugar foods they wish in tuck shops, even if it will contribute to rotten teeth, type 2 diabetes, poor behaviour and obesity amongst our children,” said Ms Kedgley.

"It is clear that Ms Tolley is oblivious to the sort of damage to kid’s health her politically expedient scrapping of healthy food guidelines will cause."

Ms Kedgley said contrary to the Minister's claims, most schools strongly supported the guidelines and accepted the need to create a healthy food environment in schools.

Ms Kedgley also disputed Ms Tolley’s claim that by getting rid of healthy food guidelines it would allow schools to concentrate on their core business and somehow help the learning environment in schools.

"This claim flies in the face of international research that children who eat healthily are better able to concentrate and learn, and better behaved than those dosed up on cola and chippies and other junk foods. I cannot understand why the Minister would scrap an initiative that was helping create a more positive environment in our schools."

“It is now open slather in school tuck shops."