As Tasmania prepares for the 2025 Tasmanian Election, TasCOSS and the Change for Health (C4H) Network members call on political parties and candidates to publicly commit to a bold, inclusive, and evidence-based preventive health agenda that transforms the states health system, from one focussed on treating illness, to one that prioritises wellness, equity and community-led solutions.
Every Tasmanian deserves to live their best life and every Tasmanian should have what they need to live well — not just get by, or avoid illness. Health is shaped not only by access to hospitals and clinical services, but by what happens in our homes, jobs, schools and neighbourhoods. Over 70% of what determines our health occurs outside the health system.
Focussing more on prevention will make Tasmanians’ lives better. It will also be good for jobs and our economy. Research shows that every dollar invested in prevention returns $14 in benefits.
Prevention is everyone’s business: all levels of government, every industry and the wider community. It should also be something everyone agrees on and commits to for the long run, no matter the political party.
Preventative Health Priorities:
- Long-Term Investment in Prevention: Allocate at least 5% of the health budget to preventive health through a dedicated prevention fund.
- Structural Reform: Establish an independent statutory authority to lead and coordinate preventive health efforts across industries.
- Community Partnership: Engage the community services industry and local organisations as equal partners in design, delivery and governance.
- Health Equity: Embed equity across the life course, targeting resources proportionately to need and addressing systemic barriers.
- Data-Informed Action: Use collective and disaggregated data to guide policy, measure success and ensure accountability.
- Public Engagement: Launch a bold, evidence-based education and awareness campaign to inspire a cultural shift toward preventive health.
We call on the incoming state government to:
- Commit to the continued development and release of the 20 Year Preventive Health Strategy for Tasmania.
- Reaffirm and sign the Tasmania Statement Working Together for the Health and Wellbeing of Tasmanians and putting in place supporting the transparent communications and measures of its effectiveness and contribution to the health and wellbeing of Tasmanians.
- Increase the visibility of the Premier’s Health and Wellbeing Advisory Council’s deliberations and achievements.
- Identify and promote best practice and innovation by investing in an inaugural preventative health forum.
Preventive health is not just a health issue — it is a social, economic and community imperative. By committing to these principles, candidates can help build a healthier, fairer Tasmania for generations to come.
We invite political parties and candidates to engage with the C4H Network and to work collaboratively with communities to realise this transformative vision.
Who are Change for Health?
Change for Health (C4H) is a network of committed and passionate organisations working together to improve health outcomes in Tasmania. We are a collective, coordinated community services health policy voice, which came together in response to a gap in the collective representations of health-related, community-focussed, for-purpose organisations to government, other stakeholders and the community.C4H includes members from not-for-profit organisations, non-government organisations and values-driven private businesses, including:
- Asthma Australia
- Cancer Council Tasmania
- Diabetes Australia
- Eat Well Tasmania
- Healthy Tasmania
- Salveo Healthcare
- The Stroke Foundation
- Tasmanian Council of Social Service (TasCOSS)