Healthy Harold, much loved by generations of Australian children, has been given a last-minute reprieve to continue his healthy living work.
Education Minister Simon Birmingham stepped in within hours of being made aware the Life Education program, fronted by the puppet giraffe, had lost its federal funding.
Health department officials revealed the decision during a Senate committee hearing on Tuesday night.
The Healthy Harold program has taught children how to make safer and healthier choices for more than 35 years.
Life Education has been receiving about $200,000 annually in federal funds in recent years but its last contract, due to end on June 30, was not renewed in the May 9 budget.
The decision, apparently, was down to Life Education sending its renewal application to the health department instead of education.
Education department officials will meet the organisation next week to establish an adequate level of funding.
"Harold will be able to meander his way around Australian schools like a good meandering giraffe," Senator Birmingham told a Senate committee on Thursday.
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