Urgent action to support Yoga Therapy
- In alignment with AUSactive’s commitment to advocating for inclusive health and wellbeing for people with a disability, we ask that our members look at responding to the Australian Department of Social Services (DSS) survey: https://engage.dss.gov.au/consultation-on-draft-lists-of-ndis-supports/draft-list-of-ndis-support/ regarding the draft list of NDIS supports. This survey, which closes on Sunday 18 August, is a critical opportunity to express the value that yoga therapy brings to people with a disability. Unfortunately, yoga therapy has been categorised as “Not value for money/not effective or beneficial,” a decision we oppose given its proven benefits in supporting the physical and mental well-being of people with a disability.
- Yoga therapy is not just a physical practice, it addresses the challenges faced by people with a disability, including helping them to manage anxiety, which disproportionately affects this community.
- By voicing our collective support for the inclusion of yoga therapy under the NDIS, we can help ensure that it becomes a recognised and funded support, leading to enhanced quality of life for participants and a more cost-effective health and disability support system overall.
- Barrie has also written to the Hon. Bill Shorten, the Minister for the NDIS, expressing this view.
Million Moves across Queensland
- Following the success of our Million Moves challenge in the Sunshine Coast which increased the community’s physical activity, with participants encouraged to complete 75 active moves a day for 21 days, AUSactive has been successfully awarded a grant with the Queensland Government to deliver the program across the rest of the state next year.
- We have also applied for a grant with VicHealth to deliver a Million Moves program specifically designed for young people and their families in regional Victoria and we will find out if we are successful later this year.
- The Million Moves campaign was one of the first in which our industry worked cohesively with the local government, local university, local businesses, and community groups towards a shared goal of increasing physical activity.
- We aspire to make this a national program and look forward to working with you all, to increase physical activity levels across the country so watch this space for a Million Moves challenge coming to your local area.
Inquiry into Diabetes
- The Minister for Health recently set up a committee, to investigate ways into treating diabetes which is becoming more prevalent, particularly with young people.
- It is encouraging that as part of its recommendations to the Australian Government, the committee said that stakeholders should work together to better plan and develop physical activity initiatives and supports efforts to increase access to regular exercise in schools and neighbourhoods as a matter of urgency across Australia.
- Barrie and I recently met with Labour politician Dr Mike Freelander who chaired the committee and we have spoken about ways that we could work with the government to increase physical activity across the country.
Scams Awareness Week 26 August – 30 August 2024.
- The Federal Government is running a program to raise awareness about scams on businesses.
- This year’s theme is ‘Share a story, stop a scam’.
- They say that everyone has a part to play in shutting down scammers. So, this Scams Awareness Week they’re encouraging all Australians to speak up, share and report scams as a way to protect each other.
- If you wanted to participate, there are campaign assets for organisations supporting Scams Awareness Week on the Scamwatch website.
