Physical activity
Physical Activity Task Force
In May 1996, the Premier established the NSW Physical Activity Task Force
to develop a comprehensive strategic plan for the promotion of physical
activity in NSW. The Task Force was chaired by Professor Adrian Bauman
and included representatives from the following NSW Government Departments:
Health, Local Government, School Education, Sport and Recreation, and
Urban Affairs and Planning, as well as non-government organisations: National
Heart Foundation, Australian Council for Health Physical Education and
Recreation (ACHPER), and the fitness industry. The Task Force completed
its work with the release of Simply
Active Everyday: a plan to promote physical activity in NSW 1998-2002
(PDF).
Terms of Reference
Task Force terms of reference were to:
- develop a comprehensive strategic framework for the promotion of physical
activity in NSW in the light of available resources, with specific goals,
targets, delineation of roles and responsibilities;
- develop a joint action plan identifying lead agencies for the achievement
of agreed targets;
- consider gaps in current knowledge and the means to address them;
- make recommendations for taking the plan forward and for monitoring
progress in achieving the specific targets; and
- report to the Premier of NSW within one year through the Minister
for Health and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in his capacity as Deputy
Premier.
The goal of the plan is to increase the proportion of the inactive NSW
population that participates in regular moderate physical activity.
Four broad areas or key strategic themes are used to frame the Task Force's
plan. Three focus areas, People, Organisations and Environments
are used within each of the strategic themes to highlight the areas where
results are expected.
The four strategic themes are:
- Program research and development
- Education and information
- Policy and guideline development
- Monitoring and evaluation
Strategic Vision
The strategic vision is:
all the people of NSW actively participating in regular physical activity,
including incidental activity, outdoor and community recreation, sport
and fitness programs.
The Task Force has identified special populations or groups which are
more likely to miss out on the benefits of participation and require increased
efforts. These groups include women, parents and carers of young children,
older people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, people from non-English
speaking backgrounds, people with disabilities, people in rural and remote
areas, young people, and those who are socially disadvantaged.
Strategic Goals
The overall goals of this strategic framework are to:
- increase safe and ongoing participation in physical activity, particularly
among less active people;
- develop quality infrastructure, opportunities, programs and services
to support participation; and
- realise the social, health, environmental and economic benefits of
participation.
Physical Activity Task Force (PATF) Lead Agency Committee
Consistent with the key recommendations, a lead agency committee was
established in January 1999 with representation from all ten Lead Agencies
identified in the plan as well as the Department of Transport, Roads and
Traffic Authority, Department for Women and the Premier's Council for
Women.
Terms of reference
The terms of reference of the Physical Activity Task Force (PATF) Lead
Agency Committee are to:
1. Ensure implementation of the plan Simply Active Everyday: A plan to
promote physical activity in NSW 1998-2002 consistent with the following
values;
- Sustainability
- Community benefit
- Equity and access
- Safe and ongoing participation
- Acceptability and collaboration and
- Value for investment
2. Optimise the co-ordination of systems to monitor and evaluate implementation
of the plan.
3. Increase the emphasis on an intersectoral approach to environmental
planning/modification for the promotion of planned and incidental forms
of physical activity.
4. Produce a progress report for the implementation period to June 1999
to be submitted to the Premier's Department by October 1999.
5. Produce an evaluation report for the implementation period July 1999-2002,
and the plan overall, to be submitted to the Premier's Department by December
2002.
Simply Active Everyday: A plan
to promote physical activity in NSW 1998-2002 was launched in October
1998. The plan outlined 64 objectives and included nine key recommendations
to take the plan forward. Ten different agencies, from both Government
and non-Government sectors were identified as Lead Agencies for the 64
objectives.
The Physical Activity Task Force's (PATF) progress through this strategic
plan is documented in the 1999 progress report Simply
Active Everyday - Progress Report (PDF) and the final report of the
Task Force Simply Active Everyday
- Evaluation Report.
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