Page 232 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 28 November 2012
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Obesity is an issue that stands out as a looming challenge—and I think Ms Porter has identified this—because of its scale, because of its causal effect on chronic illnesses and because with the right policies much of the burden of disease caused by obesity could be prevented.
According to the ABS National Health Survey the ACT has the highest prevalence of long-term health conditions in Australia despite our relatively young population compared with some other states and despite our relatively high income. With an ageing population, the prevalence of disease will only grow. By increasing the emphasis on the prevention of chronic illness there is great scope to reduce the cost of caring for those with chronic conditions. For example, studies have shown that GP management plans, health checks and school-based exercise programs can be effective in addressing obesity.
We need to target the causes of chronic illness by enhancing preventative health strategies. We need to enhance the early detection of chronic disease, leading to early intervention and treatment of chronic disease, and we need to better promote and support self-management of chronic disease.
In June 2009 the Australian Preventative Health Taskforce released the national preventative health strategy and it covered a range of issues, but quite clearly the issues raised by that task force and its report show that they are complicated issues that require a whole of government approach across all the sectors in our community. Indeed, in the Chief Health Officer’s report he identified:
A concerted effort between different sectors of government and commercial sectors and between government and non-government organisations is required …
This is not just about the Health Directorate; it is whole of government. In fact, it is whole of community and if we are to get serious about a whole of community approach to preventative health it makes sense for the ACT to establish a preventative health task force and a preventative health strategy. The Canberra Liberals argued for this at the election, and it is disappointing that this initiative lacked support from Labor and the Greens.
I must say that I am a little confused by the minister’s response to a question at question time today, where she said, “We have a strategy,” and then she backed down and said, “Well, we’re having one on development,” and she said there is a task force but then said, “It is just an active living thing task force.”
Quite clearly, this government does not have an ACT preventative health task force, nor does it have an ACT preventative health strategy. Anybody who turned up to the Public Health Association debate in the lead-up to the election—and there were over 100 people there—would have heard me argue as to Liberal Party policies for the requirement for a preventative health strategy and for the task force—and the minister argued against them, and it is disappointing that she did so.
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