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State and Territory Government Initiatives

• Queensland
• New South Wales
• Australian Capital Territory
• Victoria
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Western Australia
• Northern Territory

Queensland

• Healthy Food and Drink Strategy for Queensland Schools – Queensland Department of Education and Arts website contains the “Smart Choices” resource package for Queensland Schools.
• Queensland Health General Nutrition and Activity website – includes information regarding dietary requirements, food allergies, infant and toddler feeding and better eating at schools (Active-Ate).
• Active-Ate – is a school-based program designed to increase knowledge and awareness of healthy eating and physical activity among students of primary school age and the wider school community. It also promotes the adoption of healthy eating practices and physical active lifestyles by children.
• Queensland Health and Nutrition website – includes information for the public on good nutrition such as Healthy Eating Policy Development: A Guide for Schools.
• Eat Well Queensland 2002-2012 – provides the framework for a coordinated Queensland response to Eat Well Australia: An Agenda for Action for Public Health Nutrition 2000 – 2010 and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition Strategy and Action Plan (NATSINSAP) 2000-2010, which were endorsed by the Australian Health Ministers’ Council on October 2001.
• Queensland Health’s Physical Activity and Nutrition Outside School Hours (PANOSH) – Comprehensive resources aimed to assist Outside School Hours Care services in physical activity planning, food safety and communicating with families.
• Queensland Health Lighten up to a healthy lifestyle – an easy to read book about losing weight and keeping it off. It is part of the Queensland Health Program “Lighten Up” available from Go Print (Ph: 07 3246 3399).
• School Nutrition Action Coalition (SNAC) – provides a statewide forum for promoting good practice in addressing nutrition in the school setting. Members come from Queensland Health, Education Queensland, universities and non-government organisations such as Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens Associations, Diabetes Australia Queensland, Nutrition Australia and the Queensland Association of School Tuckshops.

New South Wales

• New South Wales Health Department’s Improving your Health – Nutrition Website – includes links to information regarding childhood obesity; easy lunch and snack ideas for children and youth; and nutrition and health, and health fact sheets.
• Fresh tastes NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy – heralds a move beyond nutrition guidelines for schools to a government endorsed approach that helps schools determine and provide healthier food choices. A number of resources have been developed to support schools to meet the requirements of the strategy including the Canteen Menu Planning Guide and The Fresh Tastes Tool Kit. The Fresh Tastes newsletters are produced and disseminated periodically to keep all stakeholders informed of the Strategy. These resources are available on the NSW Health and New South Wales Department of Education and Training website.
• NSW School Canteen Association (NSWSCA) – The NSWSCA is a key partner in the Fresh Tastes Strategy and provides a range of services for school canteens in NSW. These include a website, fact sheets, a member’s magazine, telephone advice and support and a Canteen Buyers Guide.
• Nutrition Ready-to-Go at Out of School Hours (OOSH) Care – a project aimed to improve nutrition, physical activity and food safety for children attending OOSH services in south eastern Sydney, providing access to healthy food choices in an environment that promotes healthy eating. Also includes State wide accredited nutrition and food safety training for OOSH staff and for OOSH services.
• New South Wales Childhood Obesity Summit – developed practical solutions to address overweight and obesity in our children and young people. General information in relation to childhood obesity, including statistics, fact sheets and key documents from the 2002 NSW Childhood Obesity Summit are available on the NSW Health obesity webpage.

Australian Capital Territory

• ACT Health Promoting School Canteen Project – incorporates the Health Promoting School framework and aims to provide education, training and ongoing support on health and nutrition issues to canteen staff. It also aims to increase awareness of the important role school canteens have in the health and nutrition of young people. It is intended that this project will lead to the establishment of an accreditation project in the ACT, whereby canteens will be rewarded for stocking and selling healthier food options.

Victoria

• The Victorian Department of Human Services website – provides information for health professionals, educators, and practitioners in Public Health Nutrition and health promotion. The website includes child nutrition tip sheets and nutrition and physical activity for residents of aged care facilities.
• The Victorian Government’s ‘Go for your life’ website – provides information aimed at increasing levels of physical activity, improving eating habits, encouraging people to get involved in community activities and volunteering. The site also includes information on dietary advice, body image, sports and activities and is able to be navigated by life stage so teenagers and families can access information specific to their age groups and needs.

South Australia

• Department of Education and Children’s Services – Eat Well SA Schools and Pre Schools Healthy Eating Guidelines (PDF) – provide a practical framework for planning of school and preschool strategies to ensure students and children learn about, experience and practise healthy eating. The guidelines cover six areas: curriculum, the learning environment; food supply; food safety; food – related health support planning and working with families, health services and industry.
• Department of Health, South Australia – Healthy SA: Your Gateway to Healthy Living – leads to information on healthy living such as being active, promoting health in schools and healthy living.
• The Centre for Health Promotion website – provides a range of information that schools can use to promote healthy eating and active living. Links are available to the Virtually Health newsletter and the Child and Youth Health Service. Useful nutrition related topics include cooking in schools, developing a school ‘kitchen kit’, school canteens and TV food advertising to children.

Tasmania

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Community Nutrition Unit webpage – provides a variety of information including: healthy eating for children (0 – 5 years); healthy eating for school aged children; nutrition in childcare; healthy eating and general nutrition; body image and eating behaviour; and healthy fund raising ideas.
• Eat Well Tasmania is a state-wide program that provides support and assistance for activities that promote enjoyable healthy eating. Programs such as Healthy Options Tasmania, Start Right Eat Right and Family Food Patch promote increased awareness of the importance of healthy food choices; increase the level of inter – sectoral action in nutrition promotion and raise the profile projects, activities and campaigns consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Australians.
• Tasmanian School Canteen Association (TSCA) – works in partnership with government health and education agencies, local government, parent bodies and the food industry to facilitate and promote the provision of a healthy and nutritious food services in Tasmanian school canteens. The TSCA if currently funded by the State departments of Health and Education to: continue to implement the Cool Canteens Accreditation Program in schools; conduct professional development for canteen staff, teachers and parents on linking canteen practices to the Essential Learnings curriculum and improved financial management; and work with the food industry to develop and promote healthy food choices for school canteens.
• The Premier’s Physical Activity Council – aims to bring together industry, community and non – government agencies to deliver a coordinated approach to the promotion and provision of physical activity in Tasmania.

Western Australia

• Department of Health Western Australia “Guidelines for Nutrition in Childcare” – designed to help carers meet the nutritional needs and promote healthy eating habits of children attending childcare. Food served in childcare settings may contribute significantly to the nutrient intake of children, especially those in full time care. Introducing children and parents to good habits is an important role of childcare services.
• Department of Health Western Australia “Go for 2 & 5” – aims to increase awareness of the need to eat more fruit and vegetables and encourage increased consumption of fruit and vegetables. This program provides information on the benefits of fruit and vegetables including tasty, simple recipes.
• Department of Health Western Australia “Crunch & Sip” – is a set break for children to eat fruit or vegetables and drink water in the classroom. Students ‘re-fuel’ with fruit or vegetables during a morning or afternoon break in the classroom assisting physical and mental performance and concentration. Through “Crunch & Sip” schools demonstrate their commitment to nutrition education in the classroom by making links with the curriculum and creating a supportive school environment. Teachers, parents, students and staff can support the program by visiting the Department’s website and following the steps to becoming a “Crunch & Sip” School.

Northern Territory

• Department of Health and Community Services, Northern Territory - Nutrition and Physical Activity website – includes the Northern Territory Nutrition and Physical Activity Action Plans 2001-2006, guidelines for outside school hours care in the Northern Territory and the Market Basket Survey 2003.