A Crean Labor Government will invest $25 million over four years to establish a new fund to promote community wellbeing and reduce childhood obesity.
Today’s policy release – Tackling Obesity and Promoting Community Wellbeing: Labor’s Plan for a Healthier and More Active Australia – is the first concerted federal effort to improve the general health and wellbeing of all Australians.
Australia urgently needs a coordinated community strategy to reverse the trend in rising obesity rates. Low physical activity levels and poor diet are the two primary factors that are consistently identified as main contributors to high overweight and obesity rates in Australian children.
Promoting healthy lifestyles
Labor’s goal is to promote a healthy lifestyle message to all Australians, especially children. We need more community opportunities for people to participate in physical activities that improve health and wellbeing.
The Howard Government, through funding cuts, has made it harder for Australians to take part in programs that will improve their fitness and keep them healthy.
Labor is committed to helping Australians overcome the barriers which prevent them from leading more active lives to enable them to improve their health and wellbeing.
We will work closely with the states and territories, local communities, parents, the media and schools to achieve these goals.
Tackling rising obesity in Australia
This initiative will address a major area of concern: the rising incidence of obesity in Australia. Obesity is a chronic illness that is affecting a growing number of Australians. It is a health risk that must be addressed.
By increasing the opportunity for Australians to take part in physical activity and providing better access to accurate nutrition information, particularly for children, we can deliver better health outcomes.
Labor’s commitment
Labor’s approach has two main elements: establishing a new fund to promote community wellbeing and implementing a National Strategy to Reduce Childhood Obesity.
The $15 million Community Wellbeing Fund will enable community groups to employ a wellbeing facilitator to organise and implement physical activities and events in their local area.
By assisting Australians to get involved in sport and leisure activities at the community level and by improving dietary habits through broad scale education and health promotion, the Community Wellbeing Fund will complement work already being undertaken by state and territory governments.
Labor will also provide $10 million for a National Strategy to Reduce Childhood Obesity. As part of this strategy, Labor will:
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provide $2.5 million for a National Nutrition Education Framework; |
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provide $2 million for a national Schools Physical Activity Taskforce; |
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provide $2 million to develop and implement national school canteen food guidelines; |
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provide $2.5 million for a national Active Life media campaign; |
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ensure that media advertising of food and drink products specifically targeted at children reflects community standards and expectations. |
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provide $500,000 to implement pilot student wellbeing programs for school students in disadvantaged communities; and |
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provide $500,000 to establish a National Obesity Action Alliance. |
Labor believes these initiatives will provide opportunities, education and support for all Australians that will enable them to take a more active role in improving their health and wellbeing.
Labor’s policy Tackling Obesity and Promoting Community Wellbeing: Labor’s Plan for a Healthier and More Active Australia will available at www.alp.org.au or from Senator Lundy’s office.
Media contact: Adina Cirson – (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295
