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April Advocacy Update 2023

Small Business and Franchising Consultative Committee

This month AUSactive was successful in its application to become a member of the ACCC’s Small Business and Franchising Consultative Committee. This is a federal forum to discuss concerns related to the small business and franchising, with industry and government. We’re really pleased to be able to represent the exercise and active health industry so we can talk about issues like the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic had, which saw many people leave the sector, that has resulted in a critical skills shortage. We are also keen to talk on the Committee about instilling consumer confidence and participation in the fitness industry by updating and harmonising the Fitness Code of Practice in all jurisdictions, including adoption in jurisdictions where not currently legislated. We are very encouraged to be accepted as a member of the Committee to continue to raise awareness about our industry’s wide-reaching impact and we will be highlighting that our voice needs to be heard as we serve over 8 million active consumers across the country.

 

VicHealth Jumpstart Grant

We were recently successful in receiving a prestigious VicHealth Jumpstart Grant to increase the participation and well-being of secondary school children with disabilities and from low socio-economic backgrounds in regional Victoria through physical activity. Through our members, AUSactive will deliver fun inclusive recreation programs to inspire and motivate children to be active, develop healthy habits, promote emotional skills to help them better handle stress and become more socially connected with their peers. This project aims to address the inequality that children with disability face on a daily basis.

 

Meetings with Politicians

With the ongoing traction and engagement in relation to our Federal budget submission, Barrie has met with some high-profile politicians this month including the Federal Shadow Minister for Health, Senator Anne Ruston and Federal Tasmanian Senator Tammy Tyrrell. Both were very open to talk about how we could work together to get people physically active to keep them feeling well into old age and to prevent chronic disease. Senator Tyrrell agreed to convene a meeting in Canberra next month with like- minded people such as the Assistant Federal Health Minister and Senator Ruston to discuss how the role of the health and fitness industry could be factored in to the review of Medicare.  We know that the Australian health system spends an estimated $27 billion per annum treating chronic diseases and mental health, yet these conditions are somewhat preventable by increasing Australians’ levels of physical activity. AUSactive should therefore be involved in the review of Medicare to highlight the importance of delivering physical activity as part of the Government’s Preventative Health Strategy.

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