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‘Fat’ liberal MP rejects the push for food star rating system

Self-proclaimed ‘fat’ Liberal MP, Ewen Jones has rejected the need for a Health Food Star Rating System, stating that he is to blame for his personal food choices, not government.

Jones says that the rating system will not prevent overweight people from choosing fattening foods.

"I carry weight, I am actually fat. It's not the Government that makes me fat, I make me fat," Jones told the ABC.

"I don't need a government to come and tell me that what I'm eating is wrong."

Jones’ comments come after Alastair Furnival – assistant minister for health, Fiona Nash’s chief of staff – resigned over his role in pulling down the health star rating food labelling website. The website was intended to provide consumers with additional information on the new labelling system before it was due to officially roll out later in the year.

A government official said that the site was made live ‘in error’, however health advocates rejected the claims and fuelled speculation that the website was pulled down due to industry influence – sighting Furnival involvement in lobbying firms as a significant conflict of interest.

When ABC News asked about the Liberal government’s policy on the health star rating system, Jones’ also said that the government does not actually have one.

"The Government's policy is to maximise the health dollar throughout the whole health portfolio," he said.

"There is no actual policy. You won't find a written policy on whether we do this health food rating or not."

Jones believes that increased education is the answer to the nation’s obesity crisis, not a new labelling system.

“I think it's through education and education in school, through healthy examples in schools, but not down to tuckshops," he said.

 

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