LAMINGTON LOVERS LAMENT

Sydney, July 28 NZPA - Australians are outraged -- their much-loved culinary delight, the lamington, is under siege.

Not only the lamington, but also the great national ritual-- the school gala sausage sizzle.

The Federation of Parents and Citizens' Associations of New South Wales, appropriately abbreviated to P&Cs, wants to extend its strict nutrition policy at its tuck shops -- sorry canteens -- to all school events, including fund-raisers, excursions and sports days.

It is soon to vote on the proposal which could see an end to the lamington drive as well as the sausage sizzle -- both worth their weight in calories and funds for cash-strapped schools.

"We want to continue the model what is taught in the classroom and what is complied with in the healthy school canteen strategy," acting federation president Dianne Giblin told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"The lamington would probably go unless you use low-fat chocolate."

Also on the target list are chocolate drives, chips and lollies at school discos and sausage sizzles at fetes.

Mrs Giblin acknowledged P&Cs relied heavily on fund-raising events, but suggested alternatives such as sportathons and mother's and father's day stalls -- minus the usual jars of chocolates.

There is no doubt that childhood obesity is a major problem in Australia, with parents taking a passive stance as the new generation super-sizes up.

So the move to drive highly sugared and fatty food out of the school canteens is laudable.

But zealotry can go too far and the counterattack to save the lamington drive and the sausage sizzle is gathering momentum.

Nutritionists are lining up on either side of the coconut-coated lamo -- as only Australians could call it.

Professor Ian Caterson, from the University of Sydney, told the Herald: "Yes, it does sound nanny state, but it's a sound educational principle. If you're going to give messages to kids... you have to do it across the board."

But his colleague Dr Jennifer O'Dea said the move was "a bit over the top". It was "ultimately up to parents to stop the kids eating too many chocolate frogs".

A nutritionist told Radio 720 in Sydney that a lamington was more innocuous health-wise than, say, a Mars bar.

And with butchers lessening the fat content, grilled sausages would not threaten too much harm at the school gala, she said.

Grilled? Now there's a puzzler for the dads in charge of the sizzle.

In the correspondence columns of the Herald, the lamo lovers got stuck in.

"Oh great, our version of the Taliban has moved us a step closer to taking the fun out of everything," wrote Andrew Millett.

"Lamingtons and sausages to be replaced by what? Tofu snags and lentil cake? You are taking this too far."

And Adam Johnston chimed in: "Health nazis are trying to drive a wedge of politically correct sponge cake between people and the lamington drive. May they be desiccated by popular opinion as they must be utter coconuts."

The P&Cs have to consider how much money would drain away from the coffers at sportathons and chocolate-less father's and mother's days. As Helen Robilliard wrote: "Would a `celery and carrot stick' drive have the same appeal?"

There is also the popularity of the lamington to consider.

When Sue Dracey from the Berne Education in Lewisham. a school for youths at risk, ordered 140 dozen lamingtons for a fund-raiser, she was aghast when 2000 dozen arrived and wondered how she would sell them all.

She put in a call to Radio 720 on the morning of the lamington drive, asking for people to head down and buy the fluffy soft sponges for $10 a dozen.

By early afternoon, all 24,000 were sold. That's a lot of lamingtons.

The beloved lamington is 105-years-old. While there have been claims it originated in New Zealand, culinary experts there have conceded the sponge to Australia -- adamant at the same time that the pavlova hails from Aotearoa.

Queensland historian Paul Tully said it was the result of an accident in the kitchen of Queensland Governor Lord Lamington in 1901.

A nervous maidservant dropped the governor's favourite sponge cake into some chocolate.

"Lord Lamington was not a person of wasteful habits and suggested that it be dipped in coconut so as to cover the chocolate to avoid messy fingers," said Mr Tully at the time of the lamo centenary.

"The maidservant's error was proclaimed a magnificent success by all, and so the humble lamington was born."