AUSactive campaign calls on Federal Parliamentarians to be ‘Fit for Office’

September 4, 2023

Aiming to tackle Australia’s inactivity and health crisis and relieve the economic burden on the healthcare system, AUSactive has today launched its ‘Fit for Office’ campaign at Parliament House in Canberra, challenging Federal MPs and their staff to be part of a friendly four-week challenge.

More than 14 Federal parliamentary members and 70 of their staff have so far signed up for the challenge - which runs from 25th September to 22nd October - to encourage Australians to be active more often and raise awareness of the importance of regular physical activity.

Looking to inspire Australians to be more physically active and to spark the conversation about the importance of exercise, the MPs and their teams’ efforts will be measured via wearable Myzone heart rate monitors that can be worn on the chest, wrist or upper arm to log their physical activity before, during and after the workday. Participants will be able to follow a live leaderboard to monitor their progress against each other.

In November, the winners will be awarded for the most active MP, the most active staff member, the office staff with the highest points and most office staff participants to reach the World Health Organization Guidelines for Physical Activity - 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity) per week.

Modelled on successful US and UK campaigns, the AUSactive campaign stems from the peak body’s commitment to promoting exercise as preventative health. The campaign strongly supports the Australian Government’s commitment (in 2018), to the WHO’s Global Action Plan for Physical Activity and we want to help the government to inspire 15% more Australians to be more active by 2030.

AUSactive thanked the following Parliamentarians who attended and made extremely valuable contributions to the discussion about improving the health of the nation through physical activity:

Dorinda Cox, Senator for Western Australia
Dr Helen Haines (who led the launch), Independent Member for Indi
Dr Andrew Leigh, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, Assistant Minister for Employment & Federal Member for Fenner Health and Suicide Prevention
Melissa McIntosh, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and Federal Member for Lindsay,
Senator David Pocock, former Australian Rugby Union player and Independent Senator for the ACT
Senator Anne Ruston, Shadow Minister for Health, Aged Care and Sport and MP for Renmark
Allegra Spender, Member for Wentworth

AUSactive is urging industry stakeholders to share their workouts on social media with #fitforoffice and to tag your local Federal Politicians.

Click here for more information.

Lower image shows Myzone's Emmett Williams addressing Parliamentarians and industry representatives at today's ‘Fit for Office’ campaign launch at Parliament House in Canberra.

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