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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 9 Hansard (22 August) . . Page.. 3142 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

Ms Tucker, and perhaps Mr Berry too, may be confused in relation to exactly what is at issue here, and exactly who is involved. Certainly, there is confusion on one very important point.

We need to look at a number of issues here. First, speaking to Ms Tucker's motion, I think that it is amazing that she actually has the gall to ask the government to interfere in a tender process. At least Mr Berry is not quite saying that, I will say that in his favour.

The health and fitness assessment program tests are being done in response to local, national and, indeed, international concerns about the health and fitness of primary school-aged students. Research indicates that the level of child obesity has increased and participation rates of children in sport and physical activity have decreased. It is important that the ACT continues to move forward in improving the health and fitness of our children.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics report, Children's participation in cultural and leisure activities, April 2000, gives results from the survey of cultural and leisure activities of Australian children aged between five and 14. The statistics shown in that report highlight the need to move quickly on assessing our children's health and fitness.

In the 12 months to April 2000, 30 per cent of children aged five to 14 did not participate in either organised sport or one of the four organised cultural activities, that is, playing a musical instrument, singing, dancing or drama, outside of school hours. Of the children aged five to eight, 39 per cent were not involved in those organised sport or cultural activities, compared with 23 per cent of children aged nine to 11 and 27 per cent of children aged 12 to 14.

Nearly half, 48 per cent, of children born overseas in countries other than the main English-speaking countries were not involved in those activities. A much lower percentage, 28 per cent, of children born overseas in the main English-speaking countries were not involved in those activities.

Fifty-one per cent of children living with a single parent who was not employed did not participate in organised sport or one of the selected cultural activities, compared with less than a quarter, 21 per cent, of children living in a couple family with two employed parents.

Ms Tucker has cast doubt on the capacity of the department to develop a suitable assessment for the health and fitness of primary school-aged students. First, I record my confidence in officers of the Department of Education and Community Services overseeing a tender process that will ensure the future fitness of our children. The department has spent time and effort in considering what is needed, what should be done and how best to do it.

Tenders were called on 14 July in the Canberra Times and they close on 31 August. We are well into a tender process, and I bring that to members' attention. I do not think I can say that enough. I have said there were some 16 expressions of interest.

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