Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I was not looking at you, Prime Minister! We want to make sure that the Measure Up campaign is targeted to particularly include at-risk groups in the community. Those of us who live more sedentary lives than others are certainly at risk. These are concrete initiatives that are going to make a real difference to communities around Australia, with active and practical assistance to provide people with incentives to improve their health. This is another historic reform.

A proportion of funding has also been reserved for reward payments which are going to go to the states and territories who meet agreed targets. For example, some short-term targets include increasing the proportion of the population who meet those healthy weight guidelines, while longer term targets include reducing the hazardous consumption of alcohol and reducing the daily smoking rates from 16.6 per cent to 10 per cent within 10 years. This is a fundamental change in the way that we conduct the business of health, investing now in our hospitals and acute services but also investing for the long term to ensure that we create incentives to become the healthiest country that we can be. I am sure that in years to come we will thank both the Prime Minister and the premiers for having the determination to sign up to these initiatives in workplaces, primary schools, childcare centres and communities across the country and this important change in investing in preventative health.

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