The Hon Catherine King, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing
Images of The Hon Catherine King, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing

THE HON CATHERINE KING

Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing

Australian Government Committed to Prevention Strategies

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The Australian Government’s committed and increasingly unified approach to injury prevention has earned the nation an enviable international reputation for road transport trauma and childhood injury prevention.

PDF printable version of Australian Government Committed to Prevention Strategies (PDF 34 KB)

4 November 2011

In a keynote address to the 10th National Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion in Brisbane, Parliamentary Secretary Catherine King said, “These improvements are the culmination of multiple streams of consolidated effort - through individual research, planning and community awareness programs, with the support of governments at all levels”.

“In an environment of shifting healthy priorities, strategic approaches to injury prevention are essential, more broadly supported by our record national investment of $872.1 million in preventive health.

“To guide national strategies and investments, we are able to rely on advice from experienced bodies such as the Australian Injury Prevention Network.

“At the same time, our investment of more than $130 million in establishment costs, research and social marketing for the new Australian National Preventive Health Agency has begun to pay dividends for states and territories with better synchronised prevention campaigns based on nationally coordinated, evidence-based advice on preventive health.

“We now have national strategies across all jurisdictions to address falls prevention, alcohol and substance abuse, child and youth injury and sports injury.”

Ms King said, “A variety of injury prevention initiatives were underway. These include:

      • $37 million to promote water and snow safety under the National Recreation Safety Program
      • $231.6 million for the National Suicide Prevention Program and the Taking Action to Tackle Suicide Package
      • $103.5 million for the National Binge Drinking Strategy
      • $36.2 billion investment in road and rail infrastructure that will contribute to reducing the number of transport related deaths and serious injuries, including
        • $500 million for the Black Spot Program
        • $70 million for the Heavy Vehicle Safety Program
      • $5 million funding contribution to the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) to raise vehicle safety awareness
      • More than $85 million in anti-smoking advertising, and mandating plain packaging for cigarettes
      • $59 million over four years to tackle obesity with $41 million to extend Measure Up and $18 million to the states and territories for local anti-obesity measures.
“Preventable injuries from medication mistakes and accidents such as hospital falls will also be reduced in future with better protections offered through our e-health measures and the new Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care,” Ms King said.

For all inquiries, contact the Parliamentary Secretary's office 02 6277 4230

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