Published Sunday, 24 August, 2008 at 05:00 AM
JOINT STATEMENT
Minister for Health
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
TOWNS COMPETE TO BE QUEENSLAND’S HEALTHIEST COMMUNITY
Premier Anna Bligh has announced that towns and cities will compete against each other in a state-wide competition to be named Queensland’s healthiest community.
Under the State Government competition the winning communities will share in a total annual pool of $1 million towards “healthy” infrastructure such as swimming pool, a basketball court or a bike and walking path.
The annual state-wide competition - to be run by Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland - will be designed to make Queenslanders Australia’s healthiest people.
“We all saw Queenslanders claim the majority of Australia’s Olympic medals and, of all the states in Australia, I believe we should have the healthiest people,” said Premier Bligh.
“Our natural environment is the best in the country but while our elite athletes are the envy of the world, the figures show the rest of us are falling behind.
“This is about encouraging Queensland communities to become healthier across the board.”
Queensland is ranked worst in Australia for the percentage of men who are overweight or obese at 60% (Tasmania has the lowest rate in this category at 58.1%).
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show our state has the most male smokers in the country (29%).
Women fare slightly better with 20.5% of females smoking in the Sunshine State placing us forth in the nationwide rankings in this criteria.
Meanwhile a total of 41.3% of Queensland women are overweight or obese and 72.4% say they do not exercise regularly (placing Queensland 3rd in Australia in this category).
The Premier said over 4300 Queenslanders die prematurely every year from preventable chronic diseases.
“That’s why this $1 million State Government grant will be up for grabs every year for the town that is most successful in turning on a ‘healthy revolution’ in its community,” she said.
“That means more physical activity, eating better food, low smoking rates and less risky drinking.”
Ms Bligh added said two other awards would be handed to Queensland healthiest school and Queensland’s healthiest workplace.
“Students and teachers can also strive for a total pool of $500,000 worth of prize money for Queensland’s Healthiest Schools award while employers can enter the $100,000 Queensland’s Healthiest Workplace award.”
Ms Bligh said the inaugural Healthiest Community Awards soon with guidelines and assessment criteria due to be announced in late October. The first awards will be handed out next year.
“While the State Government will provide the prize-money for the winners, Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland will administer the competition including establishing an independent panel to judge the winners,” Ms Bligh said.
“And an initial round of judging will occur to name regional winners before Queensland’s Healthiest Community is awarded.
“I’d love to see Rockhampton go up against Gladstone, Mackay take on Townsville, and Ipswich, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast all battle out in South East Queensland.
“But this isn’t just for the big cities. I want to see Boulia, Longreach, Stanthorpe, Millmerran, and Cooktown all have a go.
“Communities as small as a hundred people will be encouraged to enter when the competition is launched.”
Ms Bligh said the new annual competition would form part of her Government’s head on assault on the growing problem of preventable, lifestyle-related illnesses in Queensland.
“The sad truth is that more and more Queenslanders are living preventable chronic conditions.
“For instance, diabetes is expected to become the single biggest cause of illness and early death in 15 years, leaving thousands of Queenslanders with poorer quality of life.
“This initiative is about empowering communities to lead by example and tackle chronic disease head on in their own backyard.”
Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland CEO Carole Miller said she was over the moon to partner in what is potentially a life-saving program.
“Our aim is a greener and healthier environment and greener and healthier Queenslanders and this program will ensure we get fantastic participation from communities, schools and workplaces right across the State, from the Gulf to Goondiwindi, from Boulia to Brisbane and everywhere in between,” Ms Miller said.
“Our staff, our judges, our volunteers can’t wait to begin the search for Queensland’s healthiest communities. Now not only are we helping to keep Queensland beautiful and healthy but Queenslanders as well, and for that we thank the Premier and the Minister for Health.”
Media enquiries: Kate Van Poelgeest 3234 1185 or 0458 449 267 or Catherine Goldie 3234 1190 or 0417 728 676; Premier’s Office: 07 32244500
Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland: Carole Miller 0409 911 641
Under the State Government competition the winning communities will share in a total annual pool of $1 million towards “healthy” infrastructure such as swimming pool, a basketball court or a bike and walking path.
The annual state-wide competition - to be run by Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland - will be designed to make Queenslanders Australia’s healthiest people.
“We all saw Queenslanders claim the majority of Australia’s Olympic medals and, of all the states in Australia, I believe we should have the healthiest people,” said Premier Bligh.
“Our natural environment is the best in the country but while our elite athletes are the envy of the world, the figures show the rest of us are falling behind.
“This is about encouraging Queensland communities to become healthier across the board.”
Queensland is ranked worst in Australia for the percentage of men who are overweight or obese at 60% (Tasmania has the lowest rate in this category at 58.1%).
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show our state has the most male smokers in the country (29%).
Women fare slightly better with 20.5% of females smoking in the Sunshine State placing us forth in the nationwide rankings in this criteria.
Meanwhile a total of 41.3% of Queensland women are overweight or obese and 72.4% say they do not exercise regularly (placing Queensland 3rd in Australia in this category).
The Premier said over 4300 Queenslanders die prematurely every year from preventable chronic diseases.
“That’s why this $1 million State Government grant will be up for grabs every year for the town that is most successful in turning on a ‘healthy revolution’ in its community,” she said.
“That means more physical activity, eating better food, low smoking rates and less risky drinking.”
Ms Bligh added said two other awards would be handed to Queensland healthiest school and Queensland’s healthiest workplace.
“Students and teachers can also strive for a total pool of $500,000 worth of prize money for Queensland’s Healthiest Schools award while employers can enter the $100,000 Queensland’s Healthiest Workplace award.”
Ms Bligh said the inaugural Healthiest Community Awards soon with guidelines and assessment criteria due to be announced in late October. The first awards will be handed out next year.
“While the State Government will provide the prize-money for the winners, Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland will administer the competition including establishing an independent panel to judge the winners,” Ms Bligh said.
“And an initial round of judging will occur to name regional winners before Queensland’s Healthiest Community is awarded.
“I’d love to see Rockhampton go up against Gladstone, Mackay take on Townsville, and Ipswich, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast all battle out in South East Queensland.
“But this isn’t just for the big cities. I want to see Boulia, Longreach, Stanthorpe, Millmerran, and Cooktown all have a go.
“Communities as small as a hundred people will be encouraged to enter when the competition is launched.”
Ms Bligh said the new annual competition would form part of her Government’s head on assault on the growing problem of preventable, lifestyle-related illnesses in Queensland.
“The sad truth is that more and more Queenslanders are living preventable chronic conditions.
“For instance, diabetes is expected to become the single biggest cause of illness and early death in 15 years, leaving thousands of Queenslanders with poorer quality of life.
“This initiative is about empowering communities to lead by example and tackle chronic disease head on in their own backyard.”
Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland CEO Carole Miller said she was over the moon to partner in what is potentially a life-saving program.
“Our aim is a greener and healthier environment and greener and healthier Queenslanders and this program will ensure we get fantastic participation from communities, schools and workplaces right across the State, from the Gulf to Goondiwindi, from Boulia to Brisbane and everywhere in between,” Ms Miller said.
“Our staff, our judges, our volunteers can’t wait to begin the search for Queensland’s healthiest communities. Now not only are we helping to keep Queensland beautiful and healthy but Queenslanders as well, and for that we thank the Premier and the Minister for Health.”
Media enquiries: Kate Van Poelgeest 3234 1185 or 0458 449 267 or Catherine Goldie 3234 1190 or 0417 728 676; Premier’s Office: 07 32244500
Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland: Carole Miller 0409 911 641