Queensland Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk has put preventative health programs in the spotlight with a $1.4 million commitment to two walking programs.
Ms Palaszczuk said a Labor Government would boost funding to the Heart Foundation Walking Groups program and the web-based 10,000 Steps program promoted by Central Queensland University (CQU) in Rockhampton.
In 2012 the LNP cut $70,000 in funding to the walking groups, which support about 5,000 walkers from 350 groups each year.
Ms Palaszczuk said the programs would be funded over four years at a cost of $1.4 million – $1.1 for the Heart Foundation’s program and $280,000 for the 10,000 Steps program.
“We want to get our people out there and active,” she said.
“Any preventative health measure prevents people from going into our hospital and we want to see a healthy Queensland.”
Ms Palaszczuk said funding for CQU’s program ends in June this year with no indication from the current government whether funding would extend beyond that time.
“Today I am giving that program certainty,” she said.
“I know this is a modest announcement today but it is a preventative health program which stands to benefit thousands of people across Queensland.”