NSW Grand Final threat

Treats are in, veg is out Rate rise hits travellers

MOST parents are confused over what constitutes healthy food, with treats now daily snacks for toddlers and vegetables scarce at dinner time.

The latest Royal Children’s Hospital National Child Health Poll found processed foods are the norm and parents struggled to decipher labels.

They failed to appreciate high-fat risks and the adverse effect of high sugar content. The survey also found a quarter of parents think fruit drinks are healthier than water; and almost half of preschoolers have treat foods almost every day. OVERSEAS travellers will lose some of their buying power as interest rates in the US draw level with Australia for the first time in 17 years.

Valued at US76¢, the Aussie dollar next year could lose up to 10 per cent of its value against the US dollar. But a return to the nightmare days of the early-2000s, when our dollar was valued at US50¢, is not expected. US authorities are widely expected to increase their benchmark rate next week from 1.25 to 1.5 per cent, followed by three more rate rises in 2018. NRL boss Todd Greenberg has threatened to pull the NRL grand final out of NSW unless the state government stays the course on its $2 billion promise to build two new stadiums.

As the government comes under sustained political pressure on the commitment to rebuild ANZ and Allianz stadiums, Mr Greenberg said any variation would send marquee matches to Queensland and Victoria.

He said his commitment to NSW was “contingent on the stadiums program being delivered”.