[Greens-Media] Media Release: Australians’ health put at risk by political inaction

[John Kaye]

Australians' health put at risk by political inaction

Greens NSW Media Release: 16 August 2006

The food labelling authority, FSANZ, and the Ministerial Council have 
failed to alert Australians to the dangers of trans fats, according 
to Greens spokesperson John Kaye.

Commenting on the story on p. 3 of today's Sydney Morning Herald, Dr 
Kaye said: "The food labelling authority has been in denial about the 
health risks of trans fats. The Ministerial Council, which includes 
the NSW Health and Agriculture Ministers, has sat back and watched 
the FSANZ tell Australians that there is no need to worry about trans 
fats but to concentrate on reducing saturated fatty acids instead.

"The international evidence is clear. There is no safe levels of 
trans fat consumption, yet there are many foods stuffs commonly 
consumed by Australians that have dangerous levels of trans fats.

"It has been well known for at least sixteen years that trans fats 
are a double whammy for heart disease.  They deplete good 
cholesterols and increase bad cholesterols. It is outrageous that the 
Ministerial Council continues to propagate the lie that we should 
ignore trans fats and concentrate on reducing saturated fats in the 
Australian diet. We should be working to reduce the intake of both 
trans fats and saturated fats.

"Australian consumers are being left to the mercy of the food 
corporations. Community health is being sacrificed to prop up the 
dogma of self regulation, while heart disease claims thousands of 
unsuspecting victims each year.

"In Denmark, trans fats are effectively banned. Compulsory labelling 
of trans fats in the USA alerts consumers to the risks. Australia has 
neither of these protections. The Canadian parliament in moving to 
phase in a ban.

"NSW Health Minister John Hatzistergoes and Agriculture Minister Ian 
Macdonald should be lobbying their colleagues on the Ministerial 
Council to ban trans fats. Australian consumers deserve the same 
protections as the Danish people. Thousands of Australians die each 
year of coronary heart disease because the food regulators refuse to 
act," Dr Kaye said.


For more information:       John Kaye 0407 195 455


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John Kaye
email: john at nsw.greens.org.au
mob: 0407 195 455
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John Kaye
email: john at nsw.greens.org.au
mob: 0407 195 455
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