Media release
From the Premier of Victoria
Wednesday, 10 November 2004
NEW $22M GET ACTIVE INITIATIVE GOES BEYOND THE NORM
An intensive public awareness campaign will spearhead a $22 million State Government strategy aiming to get Victorians off the couch and actively involved in their local communities, the Premier, Steve Bracks, announced today.
Mr Bracks said the Go for your life initiative represented the biggest effort to promote a healthy lifestyle since Norm graced Life. Be In It advertisements in the 1980s.
“Everyone remembers Norm, but we now have a much better understanding of what people need to do to be healthy,” Mr Bracks said.
“Perhaps most importantly, we know that being involved in your community – through activities such as volunteering – is not only good for others, it’s also good for your health.”
The Go for your life initiative aims to get the community physically active, eating healthily and involved in the community.
“The reality is too many Victorians lead unhealthy lifestyles,” Mr Bracks said. “About 60 per cent are overweight or obese. And according to official State Government statistics, nearly half are not active enough and around 90 per cent don’t eat enough vegetables.
“We also know many people are not participating in their community – in fact, the most recent Victorian Population Health Survey found 12 per cent of Victorians do not feel valued by society.
“Whether it's a quick walk around the block, helping out a neighbour, eating a healthy snack, getting off the tram one stop earlier or taking the stairs instead of the lift, the Go for your life campaign is about creating a new state of mind open to doing things a little differently.
“The campaign directs the public to both a website and a hotline to provide anything from healthy recipes and volunteering suggestions to maps of walking tracks and bike paths.”
The strategy contains initiatives across a range of Government areas, including health, sport and recreation, community building, seniors and education. The $22 million in new funding includes:
· $10 million to prevent obesity and diabetes;
· $10 million to promote physical activity and
· $1.9 million to promote healthy and active living for senior Victorians.
Mr Bracks was joined at the launch by five State Government ministers, as well as Frank McGuire, the chair of the Go for your life Ambassadors – a group of prominent Victorians who will help promote the initiative.
“For the first time, Government is looking at these issues in a coordinated way,” Mr Bracks said.
A range of existing government programs, including the recently-announced $21 million volunteering program, will also come under the Go for your life banner,” Mr Bracks said.
Sport and Recreation Minister, Justin Madden, said this included physical activity projects targeting specific groups, such as socially isolated people and primary school children, and community sports days celebrating the upcoming Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
“The need for this strategy is quite clear. Four out of ten primary school children do no sport outside school hours,” Mr Madden said.
“$10 million will be allocated to increasing involvement in physical activity, build participation in walking and increase the information available to the community about its benefits.”
The Government is also in discussions with major sporting organisations, such as the AFL, around a proposal to have sport stars go to schools to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. If the proposal goes ahead, it will be incorporated into the strategy.
Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said more exercise and eating healthier food could help reduce the risk of health problems such as obesity, which costs Australia more than $840 million a year.
“Increasing physical exercise alone can reduce the risk of having heart attack or developing type 2 diabetes by half,” Ms Pike said.
“The $10 million allocated to obesity and diabetes prevention will include $2 million for a coordinated program to promote healthy eating and physical activity in schools, child care centres and kindergartens and $1.8 million to targeting those already at risk of developing diabetes.”
Minister for Victorian Communities, John Thwaites, said encouraging volunteering and creating links between people and communities was also important to the long-term health of Victorians.
“Evidence shows communities with higher levels of volunteering have better health and social outcomes – such as lower rates of imprisonment and higher school retention,” Mr Thwaites said.
“Earlier this year the Bracks Government announced a $21 million package to support volunteering right across Victoria. This package is encouraging people to participate in their communities and improve their local networks.”
Minister for Aged Care, Gavin Jennings, said the $1.9 million in new funding would be used to provide greater opportunities for senior Victorians to use sport, recreation and leisure facilities.
“There is now compelling evidence to show physical activity – especially strength training – can have beneficial affects on a variety of debilitating ailments associated with ageing, including Alzheimer’s, depression, prostate and breast cancer and type 2 diabetes,” Mr Jennings said.
Education Minister Lynne Kosky said the additional funding would build on a number of programs already in place in schools to support healthy eating and physical activity.
“We must all take up the challenge to work at making our children’s lives and the lives of everyone in the community as healthy as possible,” Ms Kosky said.
“Victoria is the only Australian state to mandate sport and Physical Education in our schools - upcoming improvement to curriculums will strengthen school commitments.”
The Go for your life website can be found at: www.goforyourlife.vic.gov.au
Media contact: Jane Wilson on 0407 831 456 or Ben Hart on 0407 445 551 www.vic.gov.au