Creating a plan for a healthier Queensland
Development of the Strategy and Action Plan
Making Healthy Happen 2032 is the Queensland Government’s response to the National Obesity Strategy 2022-2032.
Health and Wellbeing Queensland led the development of Making Healthy Happen 2023-2032 (PDF, 10MB) (the Strategy) and the first Making Healthy Happen Action Plan 2024-2026 (PDF, 6MB) (the Action Plan) and will drive its implementation and evaluation across government to 2032.
It was launched by the Queensland Government on 19 May 2024.
What’s in a name
The title ‘Making Healthy Happen 2032’ was chosen during extensive consultation for the Strategy in a bid to reduce the harmful stigma associated with terminology related to ‘weight’ and ‘obesity’. It resonates with what consumers saw as the purpose and intent behind the Strategy, while being aspirational and positively framed.
The Strategy is being delivered through 3 iterative action plans to bolster existing initiatives and deliver and accelerate innovative approaches to create systems change:
- 2024-2026 – Strengthen – to establish strong foundations for change
- 2027-2029 – Innovate – to deliver bold, transformational action
- 2030-2032 – Accelerate – to amplify and scale success.
Our vision is for a healthier Queensland
We’re delivering a Strategy and Action Plan tailored for Queensland, along with ongoing monitoring and evaluation to demonstrate impact.
Ambition 1
Create supportive, sustainable and healthy environments
Ambition 2
Empower people to stay healthy
Ambition 3
Enable access to prevention, early intervention and supportive healthcare
Making Healthy Happen 2032 is a balanced portfolio of actions spanning 3 ambitions, reflecting the ambitions captured in the National Obesity Strategy 2022-2032.
How consultation shaped the Strategy
The insights of 1,296 individuals and organisations were gathered through workshops, webinars, focus groups and online surveys throughout 3 phases of consultation.
Initial engagement
In July 2022, we engaged with almost 1,000 Queenslanders across the community, other sectors and government.
We listened to and spoke with:
- Community members, including those from priority populations and with lived experiences
- Health and community workforce across metropolitan, regional and rural Queensland
- Other government departments, prevention partners and industry.
These consultations built on what Queenslanders said during the 2019 National Obesity Strategy consultations.
From the initial engagement, Health and Wellbeing Queensland identified the following key themes and priority actions:
Themes
- Address equity
- Demonstrate government leadership and collaboration
- Drive Local and community-led solutions
- Educate and build capacity.
Priority Actions
- Access to and consumption of healthy and sustainable food
- Access to physical activity and healthy environments
- Empowering people to stay healthy
- Access to early intervention and care.
Second phase of engagement
Our second consultation was held from 24 October to 30 November 2022. We received online survey responses and held community discussion panels, webinars, and meetings with Queensland and national peak bodies across medical, health, government and community sector, not-for-profit and industry organisations.
The themes raised through the second round of consultation were consistent with the first, including equity, strategic alignment across government, and emphasising the importance of community-led solutions. Respondents also provided greater insight into the following themes:
- Reducing weight stigma
- Addressing the wider determinants of health
- Driving policy and legislation change
- Increase access to supportive healthcare
- Support advocacy on obesity issues
- Focus on accountability and transparency.
Third phase of engagement
In January 2023, Health and Wellbeing Queensland delivered a series of focus groups with regional Queenslanders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, younger adults, and males. These focus groups further explored language considerations to decrease weight stigma and enhanced the approach taken in the Strategy to address obesity at a systems level.
What’s next
Health and Wellbeing Queensland has now shifted into the implementation phase of Making Healthy Happen 2032.
Throughout implementation, Health and Wellbeing Queensland will continue to engage with key stakeholders, including community members, to ensure that the actions remain practical, achievable, and responsive to the needs of the Queensland community.
Last updated 24 July 2024
