Leading Tasmanian not-for-profit health and wellness organisation St Lukes has today launched a discussion paper on tackling type 2 diabetes (T2D), highlighting the urgent need for collaborative action to address one of the state’s most pressing health challenges.
Released on World Diabetes Day, the paper captures key insights from a think tank facilitated by St Lukes earlier this year and outlines clear, actionable steps to help create a healthier state.
It includes strategies to improve health literacy, regulate junk food marketing, introduce targeted taxes, and increase access to nutritious food and preventative healthcare.
The think tank brought together diverse voices from health, community, government and importantly, those with lived experience of T2D.
St Lukes Chief Health Officer Luke Cameron said the group’s aim was to shift Tasmania’s engagement on T2D from a reactive, crisis-driven model to a proactive, community-led, and prevention-focused approach.
“It has to be holistic,” he said. “We identified action across themes encompassing community and social wellbeing, schools and health literacy, homes and food security, health system transformation, and policy leadership and systemic change.
“Our recommended actions include improving Tasmanians’ health literacy and access to nutritious food, regulating fast food marketing and taxing highly processed and sugary food and drinks and finding ways to incentivise healthier workplaces.
“We also want to see a non-partisan commitment to focus on and invest in preventative healthcare policy, and a strong community movement and unified voice to keep current and future governments focussed on this issue.”
Mr Cameron said investing in the prevention of T2D would benefit Tasmanians by reducing rates of chronic disease, decreasing preventable hospitalisations, lowering healthcare costs, easing pressure on the healthcare system and increasing workforce participation.
“Together, we’re outlining the clear, actionable steps for creating a healthier Tasmania, where prevention is prioritised, chronic disease rates decline, and community-led initiatives shape the well-being of Tasmanians. It’s part of our vision to make Tasmania the healthiest island on the planet.”
To mark World Diabetes Day, Diabetes Australia hosted a session on ‘Understanding Diabetes and Reducing Your Risk’ at the St Lukes wellness hub in Hobart.
Diabetes Australia’s State General Manager Tasmania, Minke Hoekstra said T2D prevention was an important priority for the health of Tasmanians.
“Although genetics play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes, lifestyle changes may help to prevent or delay the onset of the condition in up to 58 per cent of cases,” she said.
"It’s important that we support people to understand their type 2 diabetes risk factors, and know what resource are available to help with prevention where we can.”
Over the past decade, Australia has experienced a 17 per cent increase in diagnoses in people under 20 years of age, and a massive 44 per cent increase in those aged 21-39. Diabetes costs Tasmania $190.3 million each year, but T2D can be avoided or effectively managed through lifestyle changes, including better diet and exercise.
Mr Cameron said St Lukes will also submit the think tank’s findings into the state government’s 20-year preventive health strategy.
“Our work has identified that a prevention-driven system is more cost-effective and beneficial to public health, while the economic cost of doing nothing is unsustainable,” he said.
“Our submission will focus on health literacy, food security, and workplace engagement as critical levers for change, while bold policy leadership is required to embed health into all aspects of life.
“The health budget in Tasmania reflects one of the highest spends per capita in Australia, while health outcomes continue to deteriorate.
A circuit breaker is needed in our overwhelmed system to start making gains in health outcomes for our state.”
St Lukes’ Type 2 Diabetes Discussion Paper May 2025 can be viewed here.