Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Healthy Heart Challenge began yesterday, 1 June. It is a free 10-week program which helps people to make simple lifestyle changes to improve their heart health. I participated in the Queensland trial of the challenge last year by following the challenge guidelines on nutrition and being very active. I was able to lose 10 kilos following the program and, even though I am not a Queenslander like you, Madam Deputy Speaker, I felt that Queensland was showing the way in their work with the Heart Foundation.

People are unaware that heart disease is the biggest killer of women in Australia. Women and heart disease: cardiovascular profile of women in Australia was released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in June 2010. This report revealed some really startling facts. It revealed that more than 90 per cent of women have one or more risk factors for heart disease and 50 per cent have two risk factors. It is not uncommon for women from as young as 35 to 44 to be overweight—that is, outside what is a healthy weight. One in five women aged 20 to 29 smokes daily. This week in parliament there was quite an emphasis on smoking. Last Tuesday was World No Tobacco Day, and a number of members joined together to make the point that smoking not only is bad as far as cancer is concerned but is very bad for heart health. Almost 50 per cent of women have high cholesterol levels and 76 per cent of women are physically inactive.

This year I decided that rather than attacking the weight goal I would attack the exercise goal. It is my goal to increase my physical activity on a daily basis, and I am encouraging people to join with me. We are going to form a Friends of the Heart Foundation group, and of the Stroke Foundation as well, in this parliament. The member for Hasluck has agreed to convene the group jointly with me, and we are going to encourage members to become more active, to become healthier and to look after their hearts. On Saturday morning I am joining with constituents in my electorate at the start of the Fernleigh Track in Belmont and we will go on our first community walk. We will walk for 30 minutes, which is the recommended time, along the beautiful Fernleigh Track, which has had considerable funding from this government. (Time expired)