Advocating for Tasmanians this state election
In the lead up to July 19, St Lukes is calling on all candidates to commit to two high-impact, evidence-based initiatives that we believe will transform the health of our state and deliver long-term economic and social benefits.
With a vision to make Tasmania the healthiest island on the planet, we believe the new government must invest in sustainable health strategies that prioritise prevention, innovation and community education.
It’s crucial we see big-picture commitments from our political leaders that will make a positive difference to the health of our community.
Start the roll out of a whole-of-government Preventative Health Strategy within the first term of government
Tasmania has some of the highest rates of smoking, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, the list goes on. One in five Tasmanians also live with mental health issues. Chronic illness is one of the state’s biggest health challenges, yet 80 per cent of these conditions are lifestyle-related and preventable.
Australian Government research shows that every $1 spent on preventive health saves $14.30 in healthcare and productivity costs. Despite this, just 3 per cent of Tasmania’s health budget is spent on preventative health. Our health system remains in a constant state of firefighting – it’s not sustainable and it’s not working.
True commitment to a preventative health strategy cannot be restricted to health portfolios or election-cycle spending.
St Lukes is asking for a bipartisan commitment to guarantee the funding and immediate implementation of a whole-of-government preventative health strategy that prioritises a long-term commitment to the front end of health care, spanning education, planning, social services, housing, and community.
Across Tasmania, individuals and organisations are doing brilliant work to empower people to live healthier lives. While their efforts may differ in scale and focus, they are all striving toward the same goal. Imagine the impact if we combined their efforts more deliberately – sharing expertise, resources, and perspectives to see the bigger picture.
There is a growing appetite in the community for more investment in these initiatives. St Lukes’ wellness hubs are proof of this. We have partnered with more than 150 organisations to deliver a range of health and wellbeing initiatives, with more than 22,000 Tasmanians engaging in services since opening in Hobart and Launceston in August 2023, and July 2024 respectively. These organisations stand ready and willing to support the government with the implementation of a preventative health strategy.
Give our schools access to Tasmania’s world-leading health literacy program, HealthLit4Kids
Tasmania has immediate and direct access to an internationally acclaimed, evidence-based health literacy initiative, HealthLit4Kids, developed right here in the state by Tasmanian specialist researchers Dr Rosie Nash and Dr Shandell Elmer.
As a social determinant of health, health literacy is an essential life skill that must be developed with children and adolescents, before health behaviours are formed. There is a critical need for investment in proven preventative health measures that will create a more effective and equitable health system for the future.
As it stands, more than three in five Tasmanians have inadequate health literacy. One in 10 Tasmanian adults have difficulty understanding basic health information, and close to half of all Tasmanian adults have difficulty accessing the health care providers they need.
HealthLit4Kids is a world-leading health literacy program, sought after by governments and schools across the globe. It has been featured in more than 16 academic papers and three World Health Organisation reports as an exemplar for addressing non-communicable diseases (chronic conditions).
Aligned with national and global health prevention and promotion directives, the program works at a local level with children, their schools, families and communities to develop new approaches to learning and health, so that individuals, organisations and communities can find, use and apply health information and services.
St Lukes is asking for $400,000 per annum, for three years, offered through a grants scheme to allow Tasmanian Primary schools to sign up for HealthLit4Kids. An additional $437,508 over three years will cover the core funding needed to operate the initiative while building a revenue base and ensuring future sustainability.
There are already successful case studies for the program, including Bowen Road Primary School, and there is high demand from more schools, eager to introduce the program to their school communities.
At St Lukes, we believe investing in preventative health isn’t just a nice-to-have – it is a must-have. It's crucial we see big-picture commitments from our political leaders that will make a positive difference to the health of our community.