Kedgley Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Kedgley Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:616;Page:12518] 
3.  
SUE KEDGLEY (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: What action will the Government take following the Ministry of Health’s  
Looking Upstream 
 report which concluded that diet is the main cause of death in New Zealand? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 Considerable work has already been done by the Ministry of Health on promoting healthy eating and the value of a balanced diet. Full details can be seen on the ministry’s website. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Will the Government be substantially increasing the staff and resources that it allocates to improving nutrition when according to answers to written questions there are only four staff working on nutrition issues in the Ministry of Health and it spends only 3 percent of the health budget to improve nutrition and physical education? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I am certain that the Director-General of Health will no doubt take account of this matter when the ministry receives the implementation plan for the Healthy Eating—Healthy Action strategy which is due out in the next month or so. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Now that the Ministry of Health has identified that not eating enough fruit and vegetables killed more people in 1997 than alcohol drugs and acts of violence combined will the Government extend its small pilot programme to distribute free fruit to schoolchildren to cover all schools and all pre-schools and initiate a nationwide education programme to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables; if not why not? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The pilot programmes that are taking place around New Zealand will be assessed and no doubt will be looked at to see whether the children actually eat the fruit. I think the 5+ a Day programme that has been running for some time has had some success but the bottom line is that we can take a horse to water but we cannot make it drink. I say to the member that we can give people all the tools and education in the world but there is no way that we can be in everybody’s home telling people what to eat. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Will the Government reconsider its views on junk food advertising during children’s television programmes in light of the report’s finding that 11000 deaths in New Zealand are caused each year by nutrition-related risk factors; if not what is the point of commissioning such research if the Government will not act on it? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: We have no plans at this stage to review what advertising is on television during children’s viewing time. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Is the Minister concerned that The Warehouse is selling these giant 1 kilogram Easter eggs which contain 1 cup—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: Could I invite the member to table the Easter egg! 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member is entitled to ask her question in silence and this she will do. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Is she concerned that The Warehouse is selling these giant 1 kilogram chocolate eggs which contain 1 cup of fat and 2½ cups of sugar and which have wording on the packet that tells kids they are wimps and losers if they do not gorge on them eating all of them in 15 minutes? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Healthy eating is about an overall diet not just about enjoying chocolates at Easter time. I cannot remember a time when kids did not enjoy a lot of Easter eggs at Easter time. The thing I would worry about would be if it were promoted that children eat them every day of the week. I do not think many people here did not eat a bundle of Easter eggs at Easter time and enjoy them because it was a time of treats. Special occasions are a time of treats. If that were promoted as a daily activity then we would all be worried. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: Can she confirm that there are small boutique confectioners where the member could buy a great deal less for a great deal more if she wants to! 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Yes and I presume those eggs would probably have as much fat and sugar in them as well. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Having seen that display in the House does the Minister recall the lines from the  
Home Alone 
 movie when Santa Claus leaves his business after working all day finds a traffic ticket on his parked car and says: “What’s next? Rabies shots for the Easter bunny?” 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is really not the Minister’s responsibility. 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Fortunately the Easter bunny is not my responsibility. But no I cannot recall that movie. It was such a long time ago. The main thing I remember about that movie is that I think he threw marbles on the ground and the fellow fell over. I am sorry but I cannot recall the other parts of it.