ESSA sets out priorities for 2022 Federal Election

With a national election looming, Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) has set out five policy priorities to ensure the provision of better access to exercise services to support good health outcomes and a strong economy.

With an initial call to make exercise physiology services more affordable by removing GST from exercise physiology, ESSA's priorities are:

1. Remove GST from exercise physiology.
2. Expand access to exercise physiology for people with chronic disease.
3. Expand access to exercise physiology for people with mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, other mood disorders and severe mental illness).
4. Expand access to exercise physiology in aged care.
5. Increase preventive health investment to 5% of total annual health expenditure.

In a statement, ESSA advise "the five priorities listed above all provide significant opportunities for the next Australian Government to invest in and embed prevention, early intervention and the treatment of chronic conditions in the health system to support Australians to lead healthy and active lives; and strengthen the economy."

Click here to view ESSA's election priorities.

ACT's sport venue provision emerging as a Federal election issue
Desires for improved major venues in Canberra are emerging as a Federal election issue.

With the ageing GIO Stadium Canberra seen as being too far from the centre of the city, canditates are backing upgrades to Viking Park in Canberra's south and a new CB stadium.

In addition, the ACT and Federal Governments are deadlocked over who should pay for an upgrade to the AIS Arena, the city's largest indoor venue, closed since 2020.