The following health and wellbeing priorities is what we will focus on over the next four years.
- Tackling climate change and its impact on health
- Increasing healthy eating
- Increasing active living
- Demonstrating and promoting gender equity practices
- Improving mental wellbeing and social connection
Tackling climate change and its impact on health
| What the community is saying | The environment and climate change are a significant priority for residents. |
| What the data is telling us |
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| Why we have chosen this priority | Climate change directly affects health through extreme weather events prolonged heatwaves flooding and bushfires. It also has indirect health impacts such as poorer air quality an increasing incidence of infectious disease risks to food safety and drinking water quality and effects on mental health. The data is already showing environmental effects locally as well as health effects for those most vulnerable. |
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Increasing healthy eating*
| What the community is saying | We need to make it easier to source and afford healthier food options. |
| What the data is telling us |
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| Why we have chosen this priority | A healthy diet is a crucial modifiable factor for maintaining a healthy weight and preventing chronic disease. While some improvements have been made over the years sustained effort is needed to support ongoing access to affordable culturally appropriate safe and healthy food options in a variety of settings and environments. |
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Increasing active living*
| What the community is saying | Access to public open space sports facilities and walking trails is important. |
| What the data is telling us | More adults report meeting physical activity guidelines but the proportion of adults who report sitting for 8+ hours on an average weekday has gone up. |
| Why we have chosen this priority | Active living is an important factor in maintaining overall health and wellbeing and preventing chronic disease. Providing the community with equitable access to safe environments that promote active living is an ongoing priority. |
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Demonstrating and promoting gender equity practices*
| What the community is saying | Personal safety continues to be an area of concern particularly for women. |
| What the data is telling us |
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| Why we have chosen this priority | Gender equality occurs when people of all genders have equal rights responsibilities and opportunities. Evidence shows it helps prevent violence against women and girls. Gender equity practices aim to achieve better gender equality. |
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Improving mental wellbeing and social connection*
| What the community is saying | It is important to address the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic especially in relation to social isolation and connection to community. |
| What the data is telling us |
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| Why we have chosen this priority | Feeling connected to others being able to cope with the usual stresses of life having the opportunity and capacity to contribute to the community and being productive are all crucial to mental health and wellbeing. Mental health conditions also overlap with chronic diseases alcohol misuse drug use and problem gambling. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on mental health and feelings of social connection with some impacted more than others. A focus on mental wellbeing is therefore a priority of this plan. |
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Priorities with an asterisk (*) are building on the work we started in our last health plan.