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Joint release

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing

Melissa Parke MP
Member for Fremantle

18 May 2011

New healthy eating and exercise programs, including walking groups and active transport, will be on offer in four regions of Western Australia to help combat obesity.

Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon and Member for Fremantle Melissa Parke today announced that four local government organisations in Western Australia, including the City of Cockburn, will receive funding to run programs that will encourage and support people to adopt and sustain healthier lifestyles.

Each local government will receive a grant of more than $700,000 as part of the Gillard Governments $72 million Healthy Communities Initiative, which aims to support local governments reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the community.

“We want to keep Australians well and out of hospital, and initiatives like Healthy Communities help to fund programs that are established locally to best address local health needs.

“The Cockburn City Council is one example where they are introducing tried and tested physical activity and healthy eating programs to suit their local needs.

“The grants are focused on helping overweight adults who are not in the paid workforce and live in areas of social disadvantage.”

The grants will be offered to the following local government organisations:

• City of Cockburn for the ‘Co-Health Lifestyle’ project
• City of Bunbury for the ‘Get Healthy Get Active Feel Great’ project
• City of Geraldton for the ‘Go Gero!’ project
• Shire of Manjimup for the ‘Warren Blackwood Healthy Communities’ project

“We know that preventive health measures work and that’s why we are encouraging all Australian’s to get active and eat well,” Ms Parke said.

“Cockburn locals will have the chance to try out nutrition, food budgeting, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and cooking classes.”

The four Western Australian local government organisations are among 33 that will receive a total of $23 million under phase two of the Healthy Communities grants round. The grants are mostly in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia.

“Eighty per cent of the recommended local government areas have combined overweight and obesity rates above the national average and even more experience significant social and economic disadvantage” Ms Roxon said.

“These projects will focus on at-risk populations, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, new wave migrants and those living with disabilities.”

For more information, contact the Minister's Office on (02) 6277 7220

City of Cockburn for the ‘Co-Health Lifestyle’ project

• The ‘Co-Health Lifestyle’ Project will help the City of Cockburn to create a supportive environment for ongoing healthy lifestyles and also assist community organisations to maintain the programs in the long term.
• The project will have an annual Healthy Lifestyle Awareness week and community events, targeted education sessions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, an innovation fund for financial assistance and a community garden.
• The project will include integration with national programs such as Beat It, Heartmoves and Heart Foundation Walking.
• The project will target adults who are at risk of weight-related chronic disease, the recently and long term unemployed and single parents.
• ‘Co-Health Lifestyle’ will provide sessions around nutrition, food budgeting, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and cooking classes.

City of Bunbury for the ‘Get Healthy Get Active Feel Great’ project

• The ‘Get Healthy Get Active Feel Great’ project aims to reduce overweight and obesity rates in the Bunbury and Collie regions.
• The project will include HEAL, Heart Foundation Walking and community kitchen groups.
• The project will focus on nutrition, social interaction, mentoring and increasing physical exercise and will target disadvantage adults across the community including recently and long term unemployed, part-time and casual employees, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, cultural and linguistically diverse populations, new wave migrants and people with a disability.

City of Geraldton for the ‘Go Gero!’ project

• The ‘Go Gero!’ project has a holistic approach to lifestyle modification through national programs, active transport, existing campaigns, community gardens, supporting local businesses to encourage healthy food options.
• The project will promote key physical activity and nutrition messages to the whole community and will run community based walking and cycling groups.
• The City of Geraldton has included Heart Foundation Walking, Heartmoves, Austcycle and Lift for Life as part of the ‘Go Gero!’ project.
• The project will target unemployed and part-time adults, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, cultural and linguistically diverse populations, older Australians and people with a disability.

Shire of Manjimup for the ‘Warren Blackwood Healthy Communities’ project

• The ‘Warren Blackwood Healthy Communities’ project will develop a sport and recreation strategy, which includes changes to infrastructure to create healthy environments.
• The community project will increase participation in healthy lifestyle programs such as community gardens, HEAL, and ‘Food Sensations’ which focuses on easy nutritious recipes and healthy food budgets.
• The project will target disadvantage adults across the community including recently and long term unemployed, part-time and casual employees, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, cultural and linguistically diverse populations, new wave migrants and people with a disability.