Smart Choices Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy
Author: Department of Education and the Arts and Queensland Health
Summary:
On July 7, 2005 the Hon Anna Bligh MP launched the Smart Choices Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Schools as a result of a Queensland Health and Education Queensland partnership.
The Queensland Health and Education Queensland Joint Work Plan 2004-2007 identified the need to address food and drink supply in schools and a strategy was developed. It is intended that the strategy will have a major impact on the health of children by restricting the sale and availability of unhealthy foods in the tuckshop, from vending machines, at fundraising, sporting and other events.
To support its implementation, Queensland Health is providing funding to QAST and Nutrition Australia to work together to boost services to school tuckshops.
Application:
As an Education Queensland policy this is mandatory in all Queensland state schools. It is recommended also for independant and Catholic schools.
Food Act 2006
Author: Queensland Health
On 3 November, 2000 an intergovernmental agreement was signed by all States, Territories and the Commonwealth to establish a consistent food regulation system throughout Australia. As a result changes were made to the Food Act 1981 to incorporate model national provisions. The objectives of the Food Act 2006 are to ensure food for sale is safe and suitable for human consumption, to prevent misleading conduct relating to the sale of food and to apply the Food Standards Code. The Act is based on managing food safety according to the risk that the food business presents to the community, the higher the risk, the higher the level of food safety regulation.
The Food Act 2006 commenced on 1 July 2006 with the exception of the requirement of food safety supervisors and food safety programs for high-risk food businesses which commences 22 February 2008 with a period of non-enforcement until 1 July 2008.
The Food Act 2006 applies to all licensable food businesses, which includes independant and Catholic school canteens. State Schools are not bound by the Food Act 2006, however there are Equivalent Administrative Arrangements in place with State government departments that require them to achieve similar levels of compliance as part of their duty of care to ensure the provision of safe food to the public.
Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Act 2000
Author: Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guradian
The Act requires certain people working with children under 18 to undergo employment screening - known as the Working with Children Check. The Working with Children Check is a detailed national check of a person’s criminal history, including any charges or convictions. A person whose application is approved is issued with a positive notice letter and a blue card.
All paid canteen staff are required to have a Blue Card. This applies even if your paid position is at the school where your child attends. Volunteers who do not have parental responsibility on a permanent basis of a child attending the school also require a Blue Card.
Volunteers, including volunteer canteen managers, who have parental responsibility on a permanent basis of a child attending the school do not require a Blue Card.
It is also important to note that paid employees can commence work whilst awaiting the outcome of their application, however volunteers requiring a Blue Card must hold a valid card before they commence volunteering.