Bipartisan approach to public health needed
Welcoming the Coalition’s support for the Government’s tobacco plain packaging legislation, AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that the community would benefit if a bipartisan approach extended to other important public health issues such as obesity and alcohol.
Dr Hambleton said that public health should be above partisan ideologies and political pointscoring.
“The Coalition has done the right thing in supporting the Government on plain packaging,” Dr Hambleton said.
“Australia will lead the world in tobacco control, and the Government is rightly being acknowledged and applauded by local and international health groups, including the AMA, for taking such a strong leadership role to stop people smoking.
“The plain packaging legislation shows what can be achieved when there is bipartisan and multipartisan support for sensible and practical legislation that will improve the health of the population.
“We can lead the world in battling the obesity epidemic by banning junk food advertising in children’s television hours and introducing better food labelling.
“We can lead the world in battling alcohol abuse with a minimum price for alcohol, volumetric taxation, banning ‘energy’ alcohol drinks, and providing better education and information campaigns, especially for young people.
“And we can seriously Close the Gap in Indigenous health if all parties agree on policies, services and funding that will bring the health of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders up to an acceptable standard in line with the rest of the population.
“These issues must all be above party politics.
“Improving and protecting the health of the population is the right thing to do and must be supported by all politicians,” Dr Hambleton said.
1 June 2011
CONTACT: John Flannery 02 6270 5477 / 0419 494 761
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