Food for All: Learning from the Field Forum 2008
The VicHealth Food for All program is a 3-year program that aims to improve access to foods for healthy eating and food security. As part of VicHealth’s commitment to share findings from funded projects, an annual forum has been convened the last two years.
This year’s forum was the third of the series, and was held on 1 August at the Sunshine Convention Centre in the City of Brimbank. The City of Brimbank is one of nine local government authorities participating in the Food for All program. The others are Cardinia Shire/City of Casey, Greater Dandenong City Council, Frankston City Council, Maribyrnong City Council, Melton Shire Council, Swan Hill Rural City Council and Wodonga City Council.
After a welcome by the Mayor of Brimbank, Cr Sam David, the CEO of VicHealth, Todd Harper, stressed the importance of food security and healthy eating for promoting health and summarised the current challenges and opportunities in Victoria.
Sue Cormack, VicHealth Board member and Chair of the Healthy Eating Advisory Panel, opened the forum and launched a series of case studies: Food for All: how local government is improving access to nutritious food.
Two panels were then facilitated by Dr Norman Swan. The first provided the context for food insecurity from the health, industries, welfare and environmental perspectives. Following six concurrent workshops and a presentation from the Food for All program evaluation by Dr Meg Montague, the second panel aimed to provide reflections, comments and suggestions for ways forward.
The six concurrent workshops which followed the first panel provided opportunities for projects from eight local government authorities to show case strategies implemented to improve access to food as well as discussions regarding challenges and learnings from implementing these strategies.
What's cooking? provided information on three recently commenced projects that will complement and support the work of the Food for All Program.Dr Meg Montague presented the highlights of the evaluation of the three years Food for All Program. The full report will be posted on the website in the coming months.
PRESENTATIONS
Cr Sam David, Mayor of Brimbank
Mr Todd Harper, VicHealth
Ms Sue Cormack, VicHealth Board Member
Opening and launch of the case studies. Presentation not available.
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Panel Discussion: What is food security, why should we care?
Facilitator
Dr Norman Swan
Background
Dr Cate Burns, VicHealth Research Fellow
Panel
Prof Boyd Swinburn, WHO Collaborating Centre on Obesity Prevention & Related Research & Training
Mr Ian James, Economic Consultant to the Vegetable Industry
Mr Marcus Godinho, FareShare (formerly known as One Umbrella)
Presentation not available.
Ms Kirsten Larsen, Victorian Eco Innovation Lab
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Morning Workshops
To market, to market
Sara McAlister & Ms Tara Kelly, Cardinia Shire Council
Lex and Glenda Fisher, Kingfisher Citrus
Sallie Amy, Swan Hill Rural City Council
Working with new arrivals
Ingrid Phyland, Brimbank City Council
Vivienne Colmer, City of Greater Dandenong
Ms Coralene Berkeley, Mona Tapo and Jill Gates, Mission Australia
No presentation available.
Mapping food deserts
Lucy Marshall, Maribyrnong City Council
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Afternoon Workshops
Community gardens
Lucy Marshall, Maribyrnong City Council
Sallie Amy, Swan Hill Rural City Council
No presentation available.
Principles to policies
Tracey Farrant & Jenelle Lewington, Wodonga City Council
No presentation available.
Research/survey
Ms Pamela Morgan, Melton Shire Council
What’s cooking?
A brief update of recently funded projects complementary to the Food for All program.
Dr Cate Burns, VicHealth Fellow, Deakin University
Obesity Prevention among Low Income Families: Economic and Strategic Modelling,
Australian Research Council Linkage Project
Cr Darren Ray, Victorian Local Governance Association
Land Use and Community Food Security in Victoria: Implications and Response for the Future
No presentation available.
Jason Black, Planning Institute of Australia, Vic
Dr Meg Montague, Consultant
Panel discussion
Reflection and response to opportunities and challenges.
Facilitator: Dr Norman Swann
Panel:
- Claire Hargreaves, Manager, Social Policy, Municipal Association of Victoria
- Dr Jim Hyde, Director, Public Health, Department of Human Services
- Wolfgang Haala, Director Planning Systems Management, Department of Planning and Community Development