Health and Wellbeing Queensland Symposium

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, the Honourable Tim Nicholls MP; Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Honourable Tim Mander MP; Chief Health Officer, Dr Marianne Gale; Health and Wellbeing Queensland Board Chair, Mr Steve Ryan and CEO, Dr Robyn Littlewood, your executive and staff; Symposium speakers; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you, Refiti Tovi, for your warm Welcome to Country. I would also like to acknowledge the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people here today.

It is a pleasure to join you and offer an official welcome to the Health and Wellbeing Queensland Prevention Symposium, bringing together an impressive cross-section of people — from policymakers to practitioners, advocates and stakeholders, educators and community leaders — all of whom share a common purpose: improving the lives of Queenslanders.

The breadth of expertise represented here, from government, healthcare, academia, community organisations, the prevention sector and sport, demonstrates that creating a healthier Queensland requires a truly collaborative effort

As Patron of Health and Wellbeing Queensland for the past five years, having accepted the role in my first month as Governor, I have witnessed firsthand many practical examples of the remarkable work being undertaken by its dedicated, innovative and resourceful team across our state.

Its strong focus on regional and remote communities means its carefully designed programs have an impact in diverse environments, including schools, health services and regional communities.

The results achieved speak to both the scale and effectiveness of the work. More than 655,000 Queenslanders have been reached through Health and Wellbeing Queensland's programs, including 360,000 people in regional and remote communities.

Its initiatives have reached 300 schools, and helped 86 per cent of our state’s Hospital and Health Services offer healthier food and drink options. Through programs such as Podsquad and 10,000 Steps, it has supported thousands of Queenslanders to build healthier habits, complete health risk assessments and collectively log more than a billion steps each month

While on the topic of our state’s wonderful health system, I would like to share a special milestone. Before the conclusion of my term as Governor on 1 November, I will have visited every public hospital in Queensland, a commitment I will fulfil with a visit to Charleville Hospital next week.

That’s 150 visits to hospital and health services across every corner of our state, to show my support for our extraordinary healthcare workers who care for Queenslanders each day.

These visits have highlighted the importance of prevention in reducing future health burdens, and the power of working alongside healthcare workers to create environments that make healthier choices easier for patients, staff and visitors.

Health and Wellbeing Queensland has become a leader in this space, placing prevention at the centre of conversations about our future health system and our future prosperity.

As Queensland looks towards the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, this symposium provides an important opportunity to consider the legacy we wish to create. Beyond world-class sporting venues and memorable events, we have the opportunity to build a lasting legacy of healthier, more active and more connected communities.

That goal will only be achieved through partnerships such as those represented in this room today.

I congratulate Health and Wellbeing Queensland on its achievements to date and thank the organisation for its leadership, vision and commitment to prevention.

It has been an honour to serve as your Patron. I wish you a productive and inspiring Symposium, and every success as you continue working together to build the legacy of a healthier Queensland.

Thank you.