The Story of VicHealth A world first in health promotion VicHealth and health promotion milestones 1988 1987–2005 VicHealth moves to buy out tobacco company sponsorship of sport and the arts; Quit, Heart Health and other health promotion programs replace the tobacco sponsorships. 1987 The Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria (now the Cancer Council Victoria) Victorian Tobacco Act 1987 passed receives funding from VicHealth to in Parliament. run its SunSmart and Quit programs. The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation SA (the South Australian Foundation (VicHealth) established health promotion foundation, later with funding from government- renamed Living Health) established. collected tobacco taxes and mandated to promote health in VicHealth funds first Victorian breast the State of Victoria. cancer screening program. Healthway (the Western Australian Federal Government bans tobacco Health Promotion Foundation) sponsorships and most remaining established under the Tobacco forms of advertising from 1995. Control Act 1990. Centre for the Study of Sexually Centre for the Study of Mothers’ and Transmitted Diseases established; Children’s Health (later renamed later changed to Australian Research Mother and Child Health Research) Centre in Sex, Health and Society established. (ARCSHS). Centre for the Study of Adolescent Publication of A Considerable Health (later renamed Centre for Success – an evaluation of VicHealth’s Adolescent Health) established. first five years from an economic perspective, by Dr Neville Norman Prevalence of smoking in Victoria from of the University of Melbourne. 1986 to 1991 declines at the rate of 1% 1 per year, from 31.5% to 25.6%. 1992 1991 1989 Tobacco billboard advertising replaced. Food and Nutrition Program established. 1990 A ban is placed on all tobacco Healthy Localities project brings local advertising in Victorian print media. government, community agencies and residents together to identify priority Victorian Arts Centre becomes health issues and implement local completely smoke-free. health promotion strategies. First community-based cervical VicHealth funds significant research screening program established. into Alzheimer’s disease at the Mental VicHealth establishes a Public Health Health Research Institute. Fellowships Scheme (which runs until ACT Health Promotion Fund (changed 1992), funding Victorian researchers to Healthpact in 1995) established. for 3 years. Launch of the State Government’s World Health Organisation calls New Strategic Plan (Healthy Victoria Cancer and Heart Offensive, aimed at for other countries to adopt the to the Year 2000) launched; the cutting the numbers of people dying VicHealth model. emphasis is on knowledge transfer. prematurely from Victoria’s two VicHealth holds its first national VicHealth launches Healthy Families biggest killers. conference to examine the pioneering of the Future, a program to improve Of Australia’s top private companies developments of working with sport mental health and wellbeing within based in Victoria, 75% now totally and art organisations to promote families. smoke-free (an increase of 25% in health. Completion of tobacco sponsorship one year). VicHealth funds research arm of replacement program. Launch of Partnerships with Healthy the Early Psychosis Prevention and Industry – health promotion in the Intervention Centre, a program which workplace. will increase capacity to intervene 1995 and prevent youth suicide. 1993 1994 1 Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996. 1996 The work of VicHealth in promoting 1998 health is recognised when the 1997 VicHealth Senior Research World Health Organisation Medal Australian High Court invalidates state Fellowships Scheme begins, bringing for Excellence is presented to the tobacco fees, which ends tobacco-fee successful Australian researchers Premier of Victoria, Jeff Kennett. funding for VicHealth; funding from working overseas back to Victoria. state budget commences. Active for Life launched in schools to In the first year, two senior teach children about making exercise Federal Government and Quit fellows are funded for 5 years. a healthy lifetime habit to prevent agencies in the states and territories Removal of sponsorship from Carlton heart disease. develop the National Tobacco Football Club after continuing Campaign. The campaign includes VicHealth-sponsored sporting breaches of sponsorship agreement graphic TV ads depicting the health organisations are encouraged to by their chairman, John Elliott. effects of smoking. A national Quitline promote smoke-free environments is introduced. Launch of VicHealth’s Indigenous with healthy food options and sun research centre: the Koori Health shade. Foundation SA disbanded. Research and Community Health Promotion Switzerland Austrian Health Promotion Development Unit (renamed Onemda established. Foundation established. VicHealth Koori Health Unit in 2005). Sport program redevelopment Walking School Bus Program VicHealth launches Leading the announced: shift from sponsorship commences in four local councils; Way: Councils Creating Healthier model to increasing participation 14 primary schools and 224 children Communities, a resource to better in physical activity through the participate. equip councils to identify and respond Promoting Health through Sport to the built, social, economic and VicHealth joins forces with education, and Active Recreation Program. environmental issues that affect adolescent and welfare organisations health and wellbeing in communities. Introduction of smoke-free dining to highlight bullying behaviour as a in Victoria. significant mental health issue. VicHealth now fully funds or supports 55 fellows and scholars. Launch of Together We Do Better Launch of Out of School Hours Sports campaign promoting mental health Program to increase physical activity and wellbeing. of primary school aged children. 2003 Food Security Program begins, aimed at giving people in disadvantaged communities better 2002 access to fresh foods. Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) established. 2001 Late in the evening of 17 November 1987, the Tobacco Act 1987 was passed by State Parliament in Victoria, Australia. The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) was born – the first health promotion body in the world to be funded by a tax on tobacco. It was the result of an unparalleled public health advocacy effort. 2000 The VicHealth Centre for Tobacco Control opens, focusing on legal, 1999 economic and social research to strengthen tobacco control initiatives. VicHealth’s Strategic Directions 1999–2002 focuses on physical VicHealth begins funding the Cochrane activity, healthy eating, substance Health Promotion and Public Health Field misuse, tobacco control and mental to establish it in Australia and support the health and wellbeing. field’s local and international activities. VicHealth launches the Mental Health Public Health PhD Research Scholarships Promotion Plan for Victoria, focusing Scheme introduced, providing 3 years of on social connectedness, freedom funding for young Victorian researchers. from discrimination and violence, New Arts for Health Program funding and economic participation as major begins, with a focus on participation factors impacting on mental health. and access. Victorian Public Health Research Government of Victoria amends its and Education Council (VPHREC) Tobacco Act to introduce smoke-free launched. dining, bans on point-of-sale advertising, International Network of Health and increased penalties for retailers Promotion Foundations established. who sell to minors. Health 2004: The World Conference Smoking rates drop below 17% of on Health Promotion and Health Victoria’s adult population (from 31.5% Education takes place in Melbourne. in 1986). It attracts over 2000 delegates in Quit celebrates its 20th anniversary four days. as an anti-smoking campaign. The Health Costs of Violence shows More than 3000 Victorian primary the extent of intimate partner violence school children from 200 schools walk and its enormous impact on women’s to and from school as part of VicHealth’s mental health and wellbeing. Walking School Bus Program. Food Security Demonstration Projects from City of Yarra and City of Maribyrnong win Victorian Public 2005 Health Awards for Excellence and Innovation. 2004 Victorian Health Promotion Foundation P.O. Box 154 Carlton South 3053 Victoria Australia Tel: +61 3 9667 1333 Fax: +61 3 9667 1375 Email: [email protected] www.vichealth.vic.gov.au The Story of VicHealth A world first in health promotion The Story of VicHealth A world first in health promotion First published in November 2005 by the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation 15–31 Pelham Street Carlton VIC 3053, Australia www.vichealth.vic.gov.au Copyright © Victorian Health Promotion Foundation 2005 All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced in whole or part without the agreement and acknowledgement of the copyright owner. Additional copies of this book can be obtained from VicHealth. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation. The Story of VicHealth: a world first in health promotion. Bibliography. ISBN 0 9757335 1 6. 1. Victorian Health Promotion Foundation – History. 2. Health promotion – Victoria – History. I. Title. 353.627409945 Cover image: Robyn Lea Design and layout: Paoli Smith Contents Foreword v Chapter Four 35 Preface vi Adapting to a changing environment: 1997 onwards Acknowledgements vii – A new message