Five Tasmanian health and community organisations have issued an urgent plea to the State Government ahead of this week’s interim budget: invest in preventive health now or risk condemning the next generation to poorer health and shorter lives.
In a co-signed letter to Treasurer Eric Abetz and Health Minister Bridget Archer, representatives from St Lukes, Cancer Council Tasmania, Quit Tasmania, Youth Network of Tasmania, and researchers from the University of Tasmania (UTAS) warned: ‘every dollar withheld today is a debt our children will pay with their futures’.
“The Government’s 20-Year Preventive Health Strategy lacks the funding needed to deliver real outcomes,” the group stated. “This underinvestment threatens to entrench harmful behaviours and preventable diseases for years to come.”
Cancer Council Tasmania Acting CEO and Director Prevention & Quit Tasmania, Abby Smith, highlighted the recent defunding of Quit Tasmania’s award-winning “Don’t Let Vaping In” campaign as a blatant example.
“Developed with youth input and backed by research from the University of Tasmania, the campaign was shifting attitudes and behaviours, but momentum is now at risk,” Ms Smith said.
“Abandoning funding sends a message to young people that their health is not a priority.”
Cardiovascular Research Flagship Lead at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, Prof Seana Gall, said without continued support for evidence-based programs and ongoing evaluation of their effectiveness and outcomes, the momentum built risked stalling and indeed reversing.
“Further, we know the nation is watching to see how Tasmania’s vaping restrictions play out, and without adequate funding, we are setting our legislation up to fail and throwing away the immense progress we have made as a community,” Prof Gall said.
Youth Network of Tasmania CEO, Tania Hunt, said despite participating in consultation in good faith and expecting meaningful outcomes, young Tasmanians were disillusioned.
“We know through our everyday involvement with young Tasmanians that they are becoming increasingly disenfranchised, witnessing a system that listens but does not act,” Ms Hunt said.
“This represents not only a policy failure but a breach of trust.”
St Lukes CEO, Paul Lupo, said the group stood ready to work with the Government to ensure Tasmania’s Preventive Health Strategy became a lived reality for the community.
“We believe Tasmania can be a blueprint for regional Australia, if only we are willing to back our strategies with funding,” Mr Lupo said.
“We are calling on the Treasurer and the Minister for Health to make preventive health a priority in both its upcoming interim and full state budgets.
“This is not just a fiscal responsibility, but a moral imperative. We are already seeing the impacts of past failures to invest in preventive health measures, in our growing wait lists and pressures on our acute system.
“The time to delay action on preventive health is well past us if we are ever to see an end to the health crisis in this state.”
ENDS
For further information: Jacquie Ray | Timmins Ray Public Relations | 0429 683 779