An ageing population, population growth, technological advances and increasing expectations of the health system will continue to sharpen our focus on a system that delivers value for money. Pressure to deliver more with Australian health budgets will continue to grow. Ensuring our scarce health resources are directed to where they can be most effective in improving the health and quality of life of all Australians - particularly for those with the poorest health outcomes - is a crucial task for those managing our health systems.

This groundbreaking major five-year study, funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), and run under the auspices of the Centre for Burden of Disease and Cost- Effectiveness at the University of Queensland and Deakin Health Economics at Deakin University, must be a foundation for a more effective system for health.

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A healthy society is a successful one. Health should be recognised as being central to achieving positive social, economic and environmental outcomes for Australia as a whole.  

The Australian Health Promotion Association, which represents individuals and organisations across Australia involved in the practice, research and study of health promotion, is calling for all politicians and political parties contesting the 2010 federal election to commit to progressing four initiatives:  

1. Move to expedite the establishment of the National Preventative Health Agency.
2. Implement a Health in All Policies approach across all sectors of government.
3. Appoint a Minister of Preventative Health with a brief to work across government to drive the Health In All Policies agenda.
4. Increase investment in health promotion and the prevention of ill health from the current level of around 2.2% of health expenditure to 10% by 2015.

A new national coalition of health and community organisations from across Australia was announced today to reduce alcohol-related harm.

Comprising an initial 26 major organisations with a focus on public health and alcohol, the National Alliance for Action on Alcohol (NAAA) will focus on reducing alcohol problems in the community.

One in five Australians aged 14+ years drink at short-term risky/high-risk levels at least once a month. This equates to more than 42 million occasions of risky or high-risk drinking in Australia each year.

The cost to the Australian community from alcohol-related harm in 2004/05 was estimated to be more than $15 billion, including $3.5 billion in lost productivity in the workplace. 

An estimated 70 per cent of all police actions on the streets involve alcohol abuse, whether dealing with victims, perpetrators or witnesses to alcohol crime.

On average, one in four hospitalisations of young people aged 15 – 24 occur because of alcohol.  Alcohol consumption at a young age can also adversely affect brain development and is linked to alcohol-related problems later in life.

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The Henry Tax Review is a once in a generation opportunity to combat the looming challenges that threaten the health of Australians and our environment, say the Smarter Taxes Better Health Alliance of national and international health, transport and environmental groups. These groups have joined forces to urge the Australian Government to take action on: 

• Road user pricing (Congestion Charging)
• Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) on motor vehicle use
• Tobacco and Alcohol Taxation

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