AUSactive Chief Executive says fitness can ‘save’ Medicare

AUSactive Chief Executive Barrie Elvish has today called on Australia's governments to "move from reactive health approaches to a creative preventative health philosophy" in order to improve physical activity levels across the nation and reduce growing expenditure on Medicare.

Delivering the opening address in the Business of Fitness Summit at the AUSFitness Industry Trade Show, Elvish suggested - that with Medicare and the Australian health system seen as being is in its worst condition since it was established 40 years ago - what the government needs to do to maximise any policy change impact.

The 10 objectives outlined by Elvish are:

• Moving fitness to health - steering fitness away from sport and recreation portfolios

• Create a specific preventative health portfolio as a subset of Federal and state health departments

• Activating the 2018 international physical campaign commitment with a public health campaign

• Expanding the upcoming Medicare review

• Reforming the private health sector

• Offering tax concessions for gym memberships

• Supporting the vocational and education training sector

• Reviewing past funding decisions to chronic disease associations

• Classifying gyms as ‘essential services

• Considering a sugar/fat tax

He went on to suggest key areas that the fitness industry should address in its future operations in order to “support and progress our transition to health and policy changes”.

He advised “given the fitness business model has proven successful over the last two decades pre Covid and members are returning to gyms at very positive rates, there will be a natural temptation by our sector to return (but) I believe this would be a major mistake given the increased awareness by key stakeholders of our role in preventative health.”

Elvish also went on to address what he called “gorilla in the room” expressing his personal view, which he emphasised was not an AUSactive view, that, that sector needs to move to regulation.

Elvish stated “if we are to take up the wonderful opportunity Covid has generated for our sector to become an integral and trusted player in Australia’ preventative health sector we must confront the challenge of regulation.”

Referring to other professions, Elvish noted “at some time in the future, regardless of any shift to preventative health, the sector will be regulated as a response to consumer complaints, injuries or, at worst, deaths.

“Put together growing memberships, the impact of social and in an increasingly litigious society and I believe some form of regulation is inevitable.”

Elvish's comments on fitness being part of the health portfolio follow Australian Olympic Committee Chief Executive Matt Carroll last month calling for a standalone Federal Department of Sport.

The AUSFitness Industry Trade Show continues tomorrow (29th April 2023).

Click here for more information in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

Image: Barrie Elvish addresses the Business of Fitness Summit at the AUSFitness Industry Trade Show.