Image L-R: Hon Brad Hazzard MP, Adj Prof Terry Slevin, Cate Faehrmann MLC, A/Prof Kate McBride, Victoria Davidson, Ryan Park MP, and Prof Annemarie Hennessy. Image credit: Catriona Bonfiglioli/PHAA NSW
Shelby Craig, Jainoor Rana, and Elspeth Hickey (PHAA Interns)
An estimated 200 people attended PHAA NSW Branch’s Pre-Election Great Debate on Monday 27 February to hear politicians’ stances on five key public health priorities ahead of the 2023 state election.
Moderated by PHAA’s CEO, Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, the event featured:
- Minister for Health and Medical Research, Hon Brad Hazzard MP (NSW Liberals)
- Shadow Minister for Health, Ryan Park MP (NSW Labor)
- NSW Greens Health and Wellbeing spokesperson, Cate Faehrmann MLC
- Independent candidate for Lane Cove, Victoria Davidson
The Great Debate provided a platform for NSW political leaders to explain their positions on the five key commitments PHAA NSW is seeking from political parties ahead of the 2023 State Election, to Improve the Health of NSW.
1. Promote healthy weight among children by banning unhealthy food and beverage advertising on NSW Government owned or controlled assets to give children the best possible chance to grow into healthy adults.
Hon Brad Hazzard MP
No new commitments were made to promoting healthy weight among children. On restricting advertising of unhealthy foods to children, including on public transport assets, Mr Hazzard commented that he was serious about “trying to do what we can do”, but said any regulation must occur on a national level to be effective, comparing the issue to food labelling.
Ryan Park MP
Mr Park voiced his passion for using government intervention to address the social determinants of health and change negative health trajectories. He identified improving children’s access to healthy foods as an area for further investment. Mr Park acknowledged it’s “worth looking at” the impact of government advertising on public health, however, he made no new commitments, on the basis that further discussions were needed with industry.
Cate Faehrmann MLC
Ms Faehrmann reiterated that the Greens have long campaigned for restrictions on junk food advertising, particularly to children, and support advertising restrictions on public transport. NSW Greens support their Victorian branch’s advocacy for a ban on junk food advertising on TV and public transport, and would go further by also banning gambling advertising on public transport routes.
Victoria Davidson, Independent candidate
Ms Davidson stated her support for regulating unhealthy food marketing, especially on public transport, and says the government needs to act fast to address obesity. She noted a significant inequality in access to healthy food, which must also be addressed.
2. Minimising the harms of gambling by introducing universal pre-commitment cashless cards with upper limits and blocking any pre-election agreements with the gaming industry.
Hon Brad Hazzard MP
Mr Hazzard said cashless gambling cards will happen under a Liberal-National Government. Mr Hazzard said while pubs and clubs do “good work” and people used them for entertainment, allowing them to operate pokies needed to be done in a way that does not “screw over the poorest and the most vulnerable”.
Ryan Park MP
Though reluctant to condemn clubs and pubs, Mr Park did acknowledge the harms of problem gambling. He stated that NSW Labor would expand the mandatory cashless gaming card trial, saying they’ve taken a “sensible first step”. Mr Park noted they would introduce cash input limits, bans on external game-related signage, a reduction in poker machines over time, a $100 million fund for harm minimisation programs, responsible gaming officers in venues, third party exclusion, mandatory facial recognition to enhance self-exclusion, and bans on political donations from clubs.
Cate Faehrmann MLC
The NSW Greens support a cashless gambling card system to tackle money laundering, problem gambling, and gambling harm, and will work with whoever forms Government to implement this system. Ms Faehrmann also stated that the Greens wish to go further by phasing out poker machines in pubs within five years, and clubs within 10 years.
Ms Faehrmann said that Clubs NSW and the Australian Hotels Association have significant influence, noting prior agreements between Clubs NSW and the major parties to limit industry taxes and regulation, resulting in NSW clubs being taxed 21% less on pokie machines than Victorian clubs. She also said it is well known Clubs NSW have been threatening MPs who support the cashless card system.
Victoria Davidson
Ms Davidson stated her support for strong pokies reform to address both gambling harms and money laundering. She said that she supports the evidence-based recommendations of Wesley Mission, including enacting an “ID-linked mandatory cashless gaming card, with built-in harm minimisation methods, including set daily, weekly and annual loss limits,” among other measures, including “establishing an independent state-wide self-exclusion register.”
3. Make prevention a health system priority by expanding and diversifying the public health workforce and incorporating prevention across primary, secondary, and tertiary care to ensure NSW’s health needs are met.
Hon Brad Hazzard MP
Mr Hazzard stated that “prevention is critical” and that we need to do more. However, he disputed the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare figures on health spending, claiming that according to the NSW Health department’s figures, the state already spends 5% or more of their health budget on prevention.
Ryan Park MP
Mr Park discussed NSW Labor’s commitment to a Special Commission Inquiry into NSW Health funding which will examine opportunities to “chart a different course” by redirecting resources into preventive health. He believed a whole of Government approach is needed to embed preventive health in primary, secondary and tertiary care to reduce demands on the hospital sector.
Cate Faehrmann MLC
The NSW Greens support increased spending on preventive health. Ms Faehrmann said that regardless of the exact percentage of the budget being spent on prevention, increased chronic disease cases through emergency departments, and people becoming unhealthier is evidence that this spending is inadequate. Ms Faehrmann claimed NSW’s culture of prioritising “band-aids” over prevention is leading to increased sickness.
Victoria Davidson
Ms Davidson agreed boosting spending on preventative health is required given chronic conditions constitute half of all hospitalisations. She said more needs to be spent, particularly on priority populations, to improve health equity, and that this could be done through long-term funding and a whole of government approach.
4. Act boldly on climate change by banning new and expanded coal and gas projects, and holding a Climate and Health Summit.
Hon Brad Hazzard MP
Mr Hazzard encouraged “caution” on cutting emissions too quickly, and noted that the Coalition has committed to net zero by 2050. Mr Hazzard praised the Coalition’s $32 billion electricity restructure roadmap, and called for a transition to renewables (including hydrogen) “as soon as humanly possible”. Mr Hazzard says he expects to see a “massive transition to renewable energy in the next few years” but did not provide details of Government policies to achieve this.
Ryan Park MP
Mr Park discussed Labor’s commitment to achieve net zero by 2050 – a 50% reduction on 2005 carbon emissions by 2030, establishing a net zero commissioner to monitor progress and impacts on jobs, industry and energy prices. Another measure is creating a NSW Energy Security Cooperation to accelerate investment in renewable energy. Acknowledging his electorate’s strong mining presence, Mr Park stated the mining sector needs to be well regulated, safe and stringent on environmental measures, but has a role to play in the energy transition.
Cate Faehrmann MLC
Ms Faehrmann said the Greens will phase out all coal and gas by 2030, with a moratorium on all new coal and gas projects. She highlighted the Greens’ Transition Authority Plan to increase royalties on mining companies to fund the transition of workers into other industries.
Victoria Davidson
Ms Davidson stressed that NSW “needs to take its climate action commitments seriously and stop all new coal and gas projects,”. She urged the Government to apply a climate lens to all decisions, and move to a green economy as soon as possible.
5. Protect young people from the harm of vaping by making it an offence to supply or sell non-nicotine e-cigarette products
Hon Brad Hazzard MP
Mr Hazzard described the current vaping situation as “abhorrent” and “a disaster”, but acknowledged complexities around reform, stating, “I don’t have a clear answer except ‘I hate it.’”
Ryan Park MP
Mr Park emphasised the need for state and federal ministers to work together and collaborate with Public Health experts including the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to develop “achievable and doable” reform to combat the vaping crisis.
Cate Faehrmann MLC
Ms Faehrmann condemned the use of police sniffer dogs and strip searches over the Mardi Gras weekend as unnecessary spending and “downright dangerous”. She criticised the Government’s refusal to adopt a harm-reduction approach to drug use, including pill testing and decriminalisation. She announced a Greens plan to decriminalise and regulate nicotine vaping.
Victoria Davidson
Ms Davidson called vaping a “public health crisis”, stating her concern as a mother and community member. She cited the issue of new “tobacco and confectionery” stores being opened in inappropriate locations, such as near schools, increasing availability and access to vapes. She emphasised Australia’s progress with tobacco control highlights our potential to also be a world leader in vaping reform. Ms Davidson acknowledged that while there is some evidence to suggest e-cigarettes can be helpful in smoking cessation, TGA-approved evidence-based methods should be prioritised.
The Great Debate was an opportunity for the public to hear the stances of politicians on key public health priorities. We want to emphasise that each public reader should come to their own decision who they vote for at the 25 March state election.