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SunRRA submission to National Preventative Health Taskforce. |
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Tuesday, 06 January 2009 |
The Sunshine Residents & Ratepayers Association Inc, SunRRA, asks the National Preventative Health Taskforce to address the following issues in their submission to the taskforce.
* Halt and reverse the rise on overweight and obesity – how, when and by how much in Harvester Ward where traditional strategies have failed so far?
* Reduce the prevalence of daily smoking to 9% or less – how do you propose to achieve that in Brimbank – what different strategies are proposed?
* Reduce the prevalence of harmful drinking for all Australians by 30% - will the strategy empower a group of partners to focus on addressing the social determinants and risk factors in disadvantaged communities like Sunshine?
* Contribute to the ‘Close the Gap’ target for Indigenous people, reducing the 17-year life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people
We know why a prevention strategy is needed; we know what is needed, but we really want to know when and how it is going to be applied locally so that it makes a real difference in our community.
SunRRA challenges the taskforce to think some more about how an ongoing lack of:
· open space
· walking tracks and bike paths
· active recreation and passive leisure options;
· quality educational opportunities;
· essential community infrastructure like meeting places and performing arts centres;
· accessible public transport;
· affordable fresh food outlets and so on
all combine to drag a person and a community down and have an adverse impact on health status and quality of life. And reflect on how this is an unfair neglect of community in an ongoing and entrenched way.
Unless these matters are seriously addressed, strategies and targets for obesity, smoking and alcohol will be simply more of the same with no real commitment made to addressing the real causes. Yet another plan sitting on the shelf.
Read the sunRRA submission here: |
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