Chronicling a Horror Summer
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Vol 53, No 1 Newsletter of the Public Health Association of Australia Inc. February 2020 Chronicling a Inside this issue… horror summer Chronicling a horror summer - and what has to come next 1 - and what has Thanking our sponsors 3 Diabetes and the war to come next against sugar 4 The science and success of Public Health 6 Empowering First Nations is the key to protection PHAA President David Templeman Photo: New York Times against disease 8 and CEO Terry Slevin How to channel rage in a time of climate catastrophe 9 It was in late November 2019 when 100 fires Australian Alps) were on everyone’s lips, with Will this summer finally provide were burning across NSW - half of them out striking and horrifying images of fire fighters a change in climate politics? 10 of control - when the alarm bells went off, trapped in vehicles lapped by flames, kangaroos literally; disorientating heat, smoke inhalation jumping into the sea and children in masks The rise of corporatocracy or simply new levels of stress managing loved under red skies sheltering on beaches. The shrinks the common good 12 ones and the daily routine of work. news reached global audiences. Improving pharmaceutical care in South Kalimantan, As an organisation we have long been Self-described tough guys were crying on Indonesia 14 familiar with the science of climate change, the television and their communities, feeling as advocates for declaring a public health abandoned, were reeling and shouting out of Grassroots advocacy: emergency to set resources and action in pain at the prime minister. Feelings remain raw. The Adelaide Top Ten 15 place. As of late February, 12 million hectares were PHAA office-holders 16 But still, this was a summer of calamity which burned, 3,000 homes gone, and 33 lives lost. Welcome to our new we will look back on as THE turning point. PHAA members 17 After years of drought across the breadth Accept global warming is here to stay Membership Benefits 18 of the continent, feral fires hit wet gullies of Australians want things to be different but the Gold Coast hinterland before Christmas, also recognise that the destabilising conditions travelling down the east seaboard into we have experienced encourage finding new Victoria, through some of Australia’s most approaches. populated areas. We know that global warming is the primary By late December, there were total fire ban driver of the increased duration and intensity of days across South Australia and the Adelaide the fire season. Hills had burned, destroying the livelihoods of many. With all this in mind, the PHAA has again joined the voices of millions of Australians to Our cities, with their own concrete heat call on the Australian Government to adopt a traps, continued to swelter with record leadership role in advocating for global action temperatures. to reduce warming. A rapid transition here and around the world is not just good for the East Gippsland’s Mallacoota felt the brunt economies it’s good for public health. of soaring temperatures just before new year. Kangaroo Island suffered terribly too While denialists make a last stand and some and with the turn of the new year, small embrace and emphasise, wrongly, arson, communities across the south coast of New we hope to advance the science to ensure South Wales (not far from Jindabyne in the Australia’s habitability. The Public Health Association of Australia is the major organisation advocating for the public’s health in Australia with more than 40 health related disciplines represented in its membership. The Association makes a major contribution to health policy in Australia and has branches in every state and territory. Any person who supports the objectives of the Association is invited to join. www.phaa.net.au We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land and pay our respects to Elders past and present. David Templeman Terry Slevin Public health implications This season’s devastating bushfires have harmed the health of As air quality was compromised and water infrastructure Australians to various degrees – from the extreme to the mild. challenged by bushfire ash, we are again reminded of the value of public research and monitoring, public utilities and They include simply feeling unwell, breathing and heart an expert public service working to get health promotion problems and mood disorders related to the trauma and messages out and keep the public safe. dislocation directly associated with the fires. PHAA also calls on the national Australian Government to Data collected by ANU in January (using a random survey of work with the states and territories, to not just invest in post- 3,000 adults about their experiences and attitudes related to disaster reconstruction but invest more in prevention and the bushfires) suggest more than half of respondents reported mitigation to limit the public health threats of future disasters, being “anxious and worried” and 57 percent reported suffering bushfires and all other potential events related to climate adverse effects of smoke. change. The response must include prevention, which like many health The Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA) National Strategy problems lie both in and outside the health domain. for Climate, Health and Wellbeing Framework offers a way In our submission to the 2020 federal Budget process we forward on how to do that. It can be adopted today in tandem suggested the funding of an “AirSmart” program. Such a with a multi-department plan. program would draw on Australia's experience in the skin It is not enough to simply rebuild and restore. We need to cancer prevention world where we needed to inform people mitigate the risk, adapt and prepare for the future, promote about technical issues like UV radiation and SPF, and help them and build resilience and hope in individuals and communities. to understand their personal risk profile to a known health risk And think big when it comes to emergency management and factor. disaster planning. The situation of 4000 displaced persons In dealing with skin cancer, we needed to influence public seeking shelter on a beach in Mallacoota might be a saving policy and information reporting about the risk factors. We grace in the eyes of many—what if there was no beach? now need to do the same with air quality, as this is likely to We can’t afford to see an ongoing lack of leadership and remain a challenge into the future. coordination as we’ve seen during the bushfire crisis. Similarly, our Budget submission recommended more But it also comes down to very local actions. The anxiety these investment in vital information tools like the air quality fires have caused, followed by the impacts of COVID -19, has monitoring app “AirRater”. These vital pieces of high-quality meant we have all had a high stress start to 2020. It is a good information cannot be provided at the level and sophistication time for us all to make a conscientious effort to look after each necessary on miniscule short-term grants from Australia's other. ● smallest jurisdictions. The Medical Journal of Australia is making the same call. 2 Sponsors of PHAA 2020 events The PHAA would like to acknowledge and thank all sponsors for their support and contribution to upcoming PHAA events in 2020. World Public Health Nutrition Congress 2020 31 March - 2 April, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Queensland Preventive Health Conference 2020 13-15 May, Pan Pacific Perth, Western Australia 3 Diabetes and the war against sugar In many parts of the world, including Australia, type 2 diabetes is on the rise. The disease is preventable if not reversible, but left untreated can have devastating effects including blindness. Eye-surgeon James Muecke, who is the 2020 Australian of the Year and co-founder of Sight For All, knows this all too well and has begun using his new role to challenge Australians' perception of sugar and the impact it has on the development of type 2 diabetes. His campaign includes advocating for a levy on sugar-added drinks. This is an edited version of a speech Dr Muecke delivered in January 2020. James Muecke Neil constructs light machinery for a living. He has a wife and four kids. He also has type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, Neil neglected his disease. He went to sleep What is diabetes? one evening with normal eyesight and woke up the next Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, morning blind in both eyes. One of my surgical colleagues also called blood sugar, is too high. Type 1 diabetes is an worked hard to bring his sight back, however, it was too late. autoimmune disease that sees the pancreas produce little or At the age of 50 Neil’s world changed overnight. He faced the no insulin. It causes weight loss and is fatal if left untreated. rest of his life in darkness. All that he can see now are black Type 2 diabetes, which makes up over 90% of all diabetes, objects on a grey background. Neil had to give up coaching affects the way the body processes glucose. It is caused by the the javelin, a hobby that gave him the greatest joy. He lost his ingestion of too much sugar and refined carbohydrates. The driving licence, his independence, and his ability to see the resulting sugar ‘hit’ has a complex and pernicious impact on smiles on the faces of his beautiful grandkids. the body, as Neil painfully realised. Neil is not alone. There are over 100,000 Australians with sight-threatening eye disease caused by diabetes, and more Why is type 2 diabetes on the rise? than half are not having regular eyes checks.