Elections

Asthma Australia 2024 Queensland State Election Priorities

Asthma Australia’s priorities for the 2024 Queensland State Election aim to contribute to the systemic changes needed to ensure people with asthma can live healthy lives. The priorities work to deliver savings for the health system, by addressing ways in which we can improve asthma management and the environment in which people live. This means people living with asthma in Queensland can avoid unnecessary hospital visits, stay healthy and lead active and productive lives.   

1. Contribute funding to a national AirSmart public education campaign to reduce the health impacts of air pollution 

There is a gap in Australian public health messaging around the impacts of air pollution which disproportionately affect the health and wellbeing of people with asthma. AirSmart includes an air quality public health campaign which raises awareness about air quality and promotes the AirSmart app as a source of air quality information. 

AirSmart fills the need for community education and guidance around air quality revealed by the 2019–2020 bushfire smoke crisis and recognised by the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. The need for access to air quality information and guidance will only increase as climate change continues to increase the frequency and severity of events causing poor air quality.   

The Queensland Government contribute $3.2 million over two years to fund the Queensland component of Asthma Australia’s national AirSmart public education campaign. 

 2. Increasing access to local air quality information 

Many communities around Queensland do not have access to local air quality information because there are not enough air quality monitoring stations. Air quality monitoring stations provide highly accurate information however, they require suitable locations and can be expensive to establish and run. Low-cost air quality sensors provide air quality data at a good level of accuracy and have been included as a part of the air quality monitoring network in Queensland.  

The need for access to air quality information and guidance will only increase as climate change continues to increase the frequency and severity of events causing poor air quality.  This information is critical to ensure that people vulnerable to the health impact of air pollution exposure can protect themselves and their families. 

The Queensland Government expand the air quality sensor network to ensure more Queensland communities have access to air quality information.

3. Supporting people with asthma on low incomes to install cleaner and more efficient forms of heating, cooling and cooking in their homes

Replacing gas cooktops and heaters, and wood heaters, with efficient, electric alternatives in Queensland will reduce ambient air pollution, improve health outcomes, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Investing in measures that enable people to make their homes more energy efficient in the long term, lessens the need for ongoing rebates and bill assistance, and makes people’s homes healthier places to live.  

People on low incomes, living with chronic disease and in living situations where they are unable to make changes themselves, are likely to be most impacted by cost-of-living issues. They will also likely benefit the most from reduced power bills and improved living conditions in their homes.  

The Queensland Government introduce a financial support program for low-income households to replace inefficient methods of household heating and cooking to address indoor and outdoor air quality. 

4. Develop and implement a housing, health and environment strategy 

The significant investment in and support for building new homes in Queensland, particularly social housing, provides a welcome opportunity to ensure new homes are climate resilient and provide residents with a healthy home environment. Queensland can be a leader by developing and implementing a housing, health and environment strategy. 

A strategy is required to identify what is needed to establish healthy homes including as a social and cultural determinant of health. It would address issues such as, but not limited to, the health and population groups that are most impacted by living in poor quality or sub-standard housing, actions and mechanisms to improve the health of homes, and the factors outside the home, such as air pollution and impacts from climate change, that impact households. 

The Queensland Government develop and implement a health, housing and environment strategy to provide direction for responsible departments to work together across portfolios; and bring together stakeholders across the sectors to develop and implement the strategy. 

Full Asthma Australia 2024 Queensland State Election document.

Asthma Australia 2024 ACT Election Priorities

Asthma Australia’s 2024 ACT Election priorities work to deliver savings for the health system, by addressing ways in which we can improve asthma management and the environment in which people live. This means people living with asthma in the ACT can avoid unnecessary hospital visits, stay healthy and lead active and productive lives.   

The ACT has been a leader in addressing air quality and climate change through policies and programs, including the phasing out of wood heaters and gas, electrification of homes, and support for people to purchase more efficient means of heating, cooling and cooking. These policies not only address climate change, but dramatically impact the air people breathe in their homes and outdoors, which will improve the lives of people living with asthma in the ACT. 

1. Contribute funding to a national AirSmart public education campaign to reduce the health impacts of air pollution 

There is a gap in Australian public health messaging around the impacts of air pollution which disproportionately affect the health and wellbeing of people with asthma. AirSmart includes an air quality public health campaign which raises awareness about air quality and promotes the AirSmart app as a source of air quality information. 

AirSmart fills the need for community education and guidance around air quality revealed by the 2019–2020 bushfire smoke crisis and recognised by the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. The need for access to air quality information and guidance will only increase as climate change continues to increase the frequency and severity of events causing poor air quality.   

The ACT Government contribute $600,000 over two years to fund the ACT component of Asthma Australia’s national AirSmart public education campaign. 

2. Bring forward the phasing out of wood heaters to 2030 and continue the ACT Wood Heater Replacement Program and review replacement costs.

Asthma Australia commends the response from the ACT Government to the report from the ACT Office of the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, including committing to phase out wood heaters due to health and environmental impacts, including asthma risk, and the in-principal agreement to ban the installation of new wood heaters in all ACT suburbs.   

However, the date of 2045 set for phasing out wood heaters should come into effect sooner, in line with the ACT Government’s announcement to stop gas installation. New wood heater installation and ongoing use hampers the effectiveness and intent of ACT Government policy on energy efficiency and the Wood Heater Replacement Program by continuing the installation of a polluting and inefficient method of heating.  

There is an ongoing need for the ACT Wood Heater Replacement Program. The costs of replacing wood heaters should be regularly reviewed to ensure the cost of replacements are not stopping people from installing efficient and cleaner forms of heating. The costs from continuing to use wood heaters on people’s health and the environment means they have an impact across the ACT community and ACT Government. 

The ACT Wood Heater Replacement Program should be regularly reviewed to ensure replacement costs are not stopping people from installing efficient and cleaner forms of heating. The date for the phasing out of wood heaters should also be brought forward to 2030. 

3. Investing in HEPA (high-efficiency particulate absorbing) air purifiers to improve the air quality in the homes of people with asthma on low income.

Climate change is increasing the risk of adverse asthma outcomes through declining air quality caused by the burning of fossil fuels, increased ground level ozone and events such as bushfires and thunderstorm asthma. Reducing the adverse health impacts of air pollution should be a priority issue for climate change adaptation strategies.  

Air purifiers with HEPA filters can be highly effective in reducing indoor air pollution. However, the cost can be prohibitive for many people. Investing in HEPA air purifiers for people on low incomes with asthma, or other conditions that make them vulnerable to air pollution exposure, would increase access to an effective measure to improve indoor air quality and ensure homes are safe during air pollution events. 

The average cost of an air purifier with a HEPA filter is $500. As an estimate, annual funding of $50,000 would provide approximately 100 air purifiers per year.

4. Increasing Access to Local Air Quality Information

The ACT Government’s Bushfire Smoke and Air Quality Strategy 2021–2025 recognises the need to expand air quality monitoring in the ACT, with a specific objective to enhance air quality monitoring and forecasting. Local air quality information is essential for people to be able to understand when wood heater emissions reach harmful levels in their neighbourhood.  

Air quality monitoring stations provide highly accurate information, however, they require suitable locations and can be expensive to establish and run. In contrast, low-cost air quality sensors provide air quality data at a good level of accuracy. A trial of low-cost air quality sensor pilot program is an important step towards ensuring ACT residents have access to local air quality information, and in meeting the objectives of the Bushfire Smoke and Air Quality Strategy 2021–2025.  

Fund a low-cost air quality sensor pilot program to ensure the ACT community has access to air quality information. Air quality sensors can cost as low as $200 per sensor and the pilot could engage the community to collect air quality information.  

5. Fund a program for refugees and asylum seekers focusing on asthma and respiratory care to assist the integration of refugees to local primary care services and reduce the burden on acute care services.

Respondents to the Capital Health Network’s Needs Assessment Survey found that asthma education is a service gap in the ACT. In respect of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities, literature shows that poor health outcomes in these communities are often related to issues such as different cultural beliefs about health, not being accepted into society, language skills and feelings of discrimination. 

Asthma Australia is seeking funding to build upon our existing relationship with Companion House (ACT Refugee Community Organisation and Medical Service) to fund a program for refugees and asylum seekers focusing on asthma and respiratory care to assist the integration of refugees to local primary care services and reduce the burden on acute care services. 

The program will be evaluated to assess for quality improvements and sustainability. This will inform the program for future refugee and asylum seeker cohorts who arrive in the ACT and could be adapted to address other chronic conditions.  

The ACT Government invests $100,000 for the program for one year. 

Full Asthma Australia 2024 ACT Election Priorities document.