Residents of Kyogle and surrounding towns on the north coast of New South Wales will have access to a community garden, a refurbished gym and new equipment, and local fitness instructors under new project funded by the Australian Government.

The Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health, Warren Snowdon, and Member for Page, Janelle Saffin, announced the North Coast Area Health Service in conjunction with Kyogle Memorial Health have been funded for $560,930.

“The funding is part of the Australian Government’s new $18 million Preventative Health Initiative, which supports community projects in rural and regional Australia to reduce the number of people suffering from chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease,” Mr Snowdon said.

Ms Saffin said the new Preventative Health Initiative allows health services and communities to develop local solutions to local health issues.

“In our case here in Kyogle, it is wonderful to see so many local groups getting together to devise such a creative approach to local health issues.

“The project, called Active Kyogle, is well named because it has grown out of community action and involves actively tackling health issues across the whole community.

“It’s about promoting healthy activities like establishing a community garden and setting up a local gym. And of course staying active can be the key to prevention health problems.

‘Active Kyoglewill also include a Healthy Lifestyle Challenge to increase healthy eating and activity, with a focus on people aged over 65.

“Active Kyoglewill benefit people in the whole Kyogle Shire, which includes towns of Bonalbo, Old Bonalbo, Kyogle, Tabulam, Cawongla, Wiangaree, Grevillia, Malanganee, Urbenville, and Woodenbong,” Ms Saffin said.

Mr Snowdon said by involving local people, Preventative Health Projects build the capacity of the community to take responsibility for local health issues, building a legacy of better health.

“We know a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach just doesn’t work in regional communities. I look forward to all of the Preventative Health Initiative projects being as diverse as the communities that run them.”

“These investments form part of the Australian Government’s ambitious reform agenda and commitment to deliver better hospitals and better health outcomes to Australian families, regardless of where they live,” Ms Saffin added.

Rural health programs will benefit significantly from the Government’s reform plans.  

The latest Federal budget provides more than $795 million in targeted rural health programs – more than a 65 per cent increase on the last term of the previous government.

To further improve health services for communities in rural and remote areas, the Australian Government is delivering:
1,000 new nursing training places every year and an additional 1,300 GPs qualified or training by 2013
Around 23 new GP Superclinics, in addition to the 36 Superclinics previously announced, many in rural and regional Australia
137 projects across Australia to provide essential health infrastructure, equipment and service planning for rural and remote communities under the $46 million National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program (NRRHIP)

“In contrast, the Opposition only plans to cut more than $820 million from the health budget, just as they ripped $1 billion from our hospitals and capped GP training places causing severe doctor shortages in the bush.  Mr Abbott is simply too much of risk to have in charge of our health system