Federal Parliamentarians join with AUSactive to launch 2024 Fit for Office challenge

Federal MPs and senators have joined with AUSactive to launch this year’s edition of 2024 Fit for Office at Parliament House in Canberra.

Yesterday’s launch saw a dozen of the parliamentarians - among more than 30 MPs and senators participating in the initiative - join with key AUSactive executives and members and Fit for Office ambassador Guy Leech to promote the three-week fitness challenge.

Intended to highlight the importance of regular physical activity among the nation’s lawmakers Fit for Office the initiative aims to address Australia’s ‘ticking health time bomb’ of chronic illness and mounting healthcare costs.

Introducing the campaign, AUSactive Chief Executive, Barrie Elvish advised “Australia needs to stop being a nation of spectators and become participants. Despite what our colleagues in the sporting world may claim, government investment in sport has a negligible impact on physical activity participation.

“It may well create photo opportunities for politicians, but the reality is, while all sport involves physical activity, very little physical activity involves sport. With participation rates in sport continuing to decline it is more financially prudent for the government to invest in community-based preventive health initiatives rather than chasing gold medals.”

Speaking about the initiative - now in its second year - to Sky News Australia, AUSactive board member and Myzone co-founder, Emmett Williams stated  "the three-week program is an exercise challenge with politicians in Canberra to shine a light on physical activity and the importance of it.

“The MPs taking part are setting an example by prioritising health - something that could save billions of dollars.”

Taking part in the initiative, Dan Tehan, shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, wrote on social media “we (have) kicked off the Fit for Office program with AUSactive - a 30-day fitness challenge that I'll be taking part in alongside more than 30 of my Parliamentary colleagues.

“The Fit for Office campaign is a powerful reminder of the significant health benefits that come from simply carving out time each day to stay active.

“Let's get moving and make fitness a priority!”

AUSactive CEOs Forum
Yesterdays also saw AUSactive bring together its senior executives and board members along with 19 chief executives of leading fitness and active recreation organisation for a ‘CEOs Forum’.

Each of the chief executives had earlier joined in the Fit for Office launch.

Click here for more information on Fit for Office.

Images: Federal MPs and senators join Fit for Office ambassador Guy Leech (in hat) to promote the Fit for Office initiative (top), AUSactive Chief Executive Barrie Elvish speaks at the launch event at Parliament House in Canberra (middle) and AUSactive senior executives and board members join with chief executives of leading fitness and active recreation organisation for yesterday's CEOs Forum (below).