Sophie Scamps (Mackellar, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Currently, a quarter of Australian children are above the healthy weight range, placing them on an early trajectory towards chronic disease. Among adults, that figure rises to two-thirds. This is clearly not an individual problem; it is a societal challenge that begins in childhood and compounds over time. Obesity remains a leading risk factor for type 2 diabetes, stroke, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and, of course, several cancers. In the current context—with Australia broadly facing a shortage of health professionals, including GP specialists and all allied health; with hospitals around the country facing significant problems with bed block; and considering that the new health reform agreement required an injection of an extra $25 billion just to get it across the line—it is abundantly clear that we are well over time to start focusing on prevention.

The National Obesity Strategy estimates that obesity already costs our health system $12 billion every year—a figure that is projected to balloon to $88 billion by 2032, unless we act. There is overwhelming evidence of a direct link between children's exposure to junk food advertising and rates of childhood obesity. On average, studies suggest children are seeing up to 168 junk food ads every single week. This relentless marketing is not accidental; it is a sophisticated, research driven strategy designed to create brand loyalty, drive consumption and normalise unhealthy eating habits from a young age so that they become entrenched for an entire lifetime. In 2022 alone, the Australian food sector spent $386 million on marketing for unhealthy food and drinks, with the majority of products being high in fat, sugar and salt. These are precisely the products that are contributing to our obesity crisis.

Importantly, the National Obesity Strategy, the National Preventive Health Strategy and the National Diabetes Strategy all identify restricting unhealthy food marketing to children as a priority reform. That's why, in 2023, I introduced the healthy kids advertising bill to remove junk food ads from TV and radio between 6 am and 9.30 pm and to place an outright ban on paid junk food marketing on social media and other online environments. This policy is strongly backed by the Australian Medical Association, Dietitians Australia, Diabetes Australia, the Cancer Council, Food for Health Alliance, the Public Health Association of Australia and key medical colleges including the Royal Australian colleges of physicians and of GPS.

Parents regularly raise their concerns with me about predatory junk food marketing directed at their children. And research from the Australia Institute shows two-thirds of Australians support regulating unhealthy food marketing. It seems just plain wrong that corporations have been given free rein to target our kids with the advertising of junk food that is making them sick. Corporations are getting rich by making our children sick.

In 2024, the government commissioned a feasibility study led by the University of Wollongong to examine policy options to restrict unhealthy food marketing to children. My understanding is that the study's findings were delivered to the Department of Health and Aged Care four months ago. I urge the government to release this study so we can get on with the next steps in protecting our children's health. The consultation paper canvassed key options around junk food advertising, including restricting unhealthy food advertising on broadcast media between 5.30 am and 11 pm, including on TV, in radio, in cinema, on podcasts and on streaming services. It also raised the idea of restricting all online marketing for unhealthy food products and banning outdoor media, including government owned assets, within 750 metres of schools and along major transport corridors.

The South Australian government has already implemented a mandatory ban on unhealthy food and drink advertising across all government owned transit assets, including buses, trains and trams. Globally, more than 40 countries have acted to regulate junk food advertising. Australia is lagging behind while unhealthy food marketing continues to target our children. Let's get busy.