Weighing it up: Obesity in Australia

Recommendation 13

Page last updated: 05 May 2013

The Committee recommends that the Federal Government work with all levels of government and the private sector to develop nationally consistent urban planning guidelines which focus on creating environments that encourage Australians to be healthy and active.

Agreed.

As noted in the Weighing it up report, the Department of Health and Ageing funded the development of a web-based national planning guide Healthy Spaces and Places, that encourages all levels of government and the private sector to cooperate in planning, establishing, managing and investing in healthy urban environments. The guide is available at Healthy Spaces & Places website.

The Australian Government Department of Infrastructure and Transport has established a Major Cities Unit which provides advice to the Australian Government on issues of policy, planning and infrastructure that have an impact on our cities and suburbs. This includes publishing an annual State of Australian Cities report which provides an important evidence base for future policy, including issues such as obesity, physical activity, and active travel. The Major Cities Unit is also developing a position paper on active travel – walking and cycling – and the incidental exercise associated with using public transport.

A new National Urban Policy – Our Cities, Our Future – was released on 18 May 2011 and sets the Australian Government's objectives and directions for preparing Australia’s cities for the decades ahead. It recognises the critical roles that State, Territory and Local Governments, the private sector and individuals play in planning, managing and investing in cities. This is the first time that an Australian Government has sought to outline its overarching goals for the nation's cities and the role it has in making them more productive, sustainable and liveable. One of the policy’s priorities is to improve public health outcomes in our major cities, ‘through better designed built environments and transport networks that encourage active travel, recreational and incidental exercise, social interaction and enjoyment of the natural environment.’

Creating Places for People - an urban design protocol for Australian cities was launched on 30 November 2011. Creating Places for People complements the National Urban Policy and other national guidelines and tools such as Healthy Spaces and Places. The Protocol has a consistent theme of improving healthy and active lifestyles through the urban environment and one of its principles is to create environments that are easy to walk and bicycle around. A wide range of organisations including State, Territory and local government, industry and community contributed to the development of the Protocol and have strongly affirmed their support for this document as an initiative facilitated by the Commonwealth government. The Protocol is available at urban design website.

Alongside the National Urban Policy, the Australian Government announced a $20 million Liveable Cities program for State, Territory and local Governments, potentially in partnership with the private sector, to fund projects aimed at improving the productivity, sustainability and liveability of our cities. The program is available for planning, feasibility assessment, design and/or capital works projects that improve access to jobs and housing, enhance the liveability of our cities, and deliver higher quality public spaces and streetscapes to benefit local businesses, communities and visitors, such as projects that promote or incorporate active travel through walking and cycling.