Held at the Swan Hill Performing Arts & Conference Centre, Monday 13 July 2009, the Securing the Future forum featured Food for All project workshops, presentations from researchers and discussion on the successes and challenges in securing improved access to food for healthy eating. Placing the forum in Swan Hill provided a unique opportunity to learn about the rural and regional experience of food security.

Presentations

Opening and announcement of new advocacy body Mr Luke Donnellan MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier

Food For All program and VicHealth’s strategies to promote healthy eating Mr Todd Harper, Chief Executive Officer, VicHealth

Making sense of sustainability: What do we really mean by sustainability in relation to the Food for All Program?

Making Sense of Sustainability paper Making Sense of Sustainability paper Dr Meg Montague, Evaluator of Food For All

Workshop A: Partnerships beyond the health sectors – an approach to secure the future?

Steps Towards Sustainability Pamela Morgan, City of Maribyrnong

Wodonga Food for All project Jan Ryan & Karan Courtney, Wodonga City Council

Partnership approach to redesigning food distribution in the City of Greater Dandenong Russell Shields, City of Greater Dandenong

Workshop B: Policies and Planning – develop, implement and evaluate

Brimbank Community Plan: How do we know it is working? Translating strategic directions into actions Fiona Florakx, City of Brimbank

Swan Hill Leisure Centre: Will the policy make a difference? Sallie Amy, Swan Hill Rural City Council

Changing Practice… Addressing Food Security in the Shire of Melton Melton Shire Council

Panel research

Healthy Eating and Food Security issues with Victorian Aboriginal Communities Dr Karen Adams, Victoria University

Obesity and its risk factors among African migrant adolescents: assessing the role of intergenerational acculturation gap, family functioning and parenting Dr Andre Renzaho, Senior Research Fellow, Deakin University

Linking Local, Sustainable Farming with Health Professor Alice Ammerman, University of North Carolina, USA

Victorian Food Supply Scenarios – Impacts on availability of nutritious diets Ms Kirsten Larsen, University of Melbourne

Establishment of a Food Policy Coalition Dr Cate Burns, VicHealth Public Health Research Fellow