Kat THEOPHANOUS (Northcote) (14:30): (1758) My question is to the Minister for Planning. How can our planning framework better moderate the proliferation of fast-food outlets like the McDonald’s slated for Northcote and instead promote healthier communities? Earlier this year Labor passed major reforms to Victoria’s planning laws, which for the first time recognise health and wellbeing as a core objective in planning decisions. It has created an important opportunity to consider how planning can better support nutrition and help prevent chronic disease. In Northcote we are seeing firsthand why this matters. A new McDonald’s is set to open just 50 metres from Northcote Primary School. The community does not want it. We know multinational fast-food outlets have a disproportionate influence on food environments and everyday nutritional choices, but as it is in a commercial zone, it has been really difficult to contest. In the UK and Ireland ‘no fry zones’ around schools have helped curb the expansion of fast food and encourage healthier communities. I would like to see our planning system do more heavy lifting on this front, and I look forward to the minister’s response.