Page 382 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 16 February 2016
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The ACT consistently leads Australia in childhood immunisation rates, with the latest quarterly report from the Australian childhood immunisation register showing the ACT achieved 94.9 per cent immunisation coverage for children aged 12 months. We also lead the way in tackling smoking, with the ACT’s daily smoking rate for adults the lowest in Australia at 9.9 per cent. However, health challenges remain. Approximately 63 per cent of adults and 22 per cent of children in the ACT are overweight or obese. We want this percentage to reduce so that more people live their lives to the fullest and remain healthier for longer.
We know that being overweight or obese can lead to long-term health problems, potentially diminishing a person’s quality of life and their long-term health and putting additional strain on our health system. This is why the ACT government developed the healthy weight action plan and funded a range of initiatives to deliver on this plan. Programs like the successful fresh tastes program work across our primary schools to increase the availability and knowledge of healthy food and drink choices through schools.
Further, the ACT health promotion grants program provides around $2 million in grants each year to local organisations. Just one of many successful examples is the ride or walk to school initiative, which helps schools promote active travel by providing cycling equipment, teacher training and resources such as road safety training to encourage more children to ride or walk to school. The success of this initiative is necessarily a collaboration between the government, the community, non-government organisations and businesses. We are realistic about people’s lives, about the busy realities of many families, and, for many of us as parents, about the tastebuds of children.
As a government, we have a responsibility to the community to encourage healthy lifestyles and to encourage informed debate and decision-making. We need to set the bar high, we need to make healthy choices easier, and at times we may need to take regulatory action, but that should be as a last resort. We all have a responsibility for a healthy future for our city. Keeping Canberra healthy is a key priority of this government and will be a focus for me as the Assistant Minister for Health supporting Minister Corbell’s work to improve Canberrans’ access to high quality, timely health care.
This government has made significant investments in our six community health centres and two nurse-led walk-in centres at Belconnen and Tuggeranong health centres. Our health centres offer a comprehensive range of services to the local community. They are person centred and cutting edge. In my inaugural speech I talked about the importance of preventive health to our quality of life and to our community’s wellbeing. Our investments in services and facilities closer to where people live and in the early stages of illness or injury are a key part of our health system.
As Assistant Minister for Health, I look forward to further improving Canberrans’ understanding of the services available at our health centres and access to these essential health services.
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