Lucy Westerman

VicHealth Is a Health Promotion Exemplar: Evidence Demands Bolstering Investment (Not Eroding It) Click on the article title to read more.

“an outcry … calling on the Victorian Government to reverse its decision and save VicHealth but to even go further, and bolster the level of investment it currently receives”
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

MP battling cancer says condemned health agency could have saved him Victorian Greens MP Tim Read reveals he will retire from politics at this year's election after he was diagnosed with metastatic cancer — but not before one last political fight.

I spoke to the ABC about my recent cancer diagnosis, my decision to step down as Greens MP for Brunswick at the next state election, and my fury at the state Labor Government for slamming the door on preventative health by abolishing VicHealth. (1/2)

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...

‘Bone-headed decision’: Government under pressure to spare VicHealth from axe Former heads of VicHealth from across the political divide have called on the Allan government to reverse its decision to abolish the health promotions agency. #politics #victoria

Former heads of VicHealth from across the political divide have called on the Allan government to reverse its decision to abolish the health promotions agency. #politics #victoria

VicHealth axing is a blow to equity, women’s sport and prevention measures It’s seen as a “global template for how to get health promotion right,” with 38 years of health promotion work, including on smoking prevention, and the successful This Girl Can initiative. But now th...

It’s seen as a “global template for how to get health promotion right,” with 38 years of health promotion work, including on smoking prevention, and the successful This Girl Can initiative. But now the standalone VicHealth is set to be abolished.
womensagenda.com.au/latest/eds-b...

Victorian Government faces massive fight over VicHealth bombshell

Victorian Government faces massive fight over VicHealth bombshell www.croakey.org/victorian-go...

VicHealth has been a pretty importsnt part of my professional life. I’ve been incredibly grateful for everything I’ve been able to do with them.

Disestablishing VicHealth would be a huge misteke for health in this state.

savevichealth.org

🤔 Want to help #SaveVicHealth?

6️⃣ This article lists 6 things you can do.

✍️ Today I wrote to my local MPs to urge them to help keep #VicHealth #independent.

🗺️ No matter where you live in the world, if you care about having a strong VicHealth, your voice can help.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Get involved!

#SDOH #CDOH

Sign the Petition Keep VicHealth Independent and Strong for a Healthier Future #SaveVicHealth

Keep VicHealth Independent and Strong for a Healthier Future - Sign the Petition! www.change.org/p/keep-viche... #SaveVicHealth

Let's be very clear: this is not cost-saving - it's cost-adding. It's a false economy that only makes people sicker.

#SaveVicHealth
🎯 Actions
• Read Open letter to Premier docs.google.com/document/d/1...
• Sign Open letter docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
• Sign Petition
c.org/w9M7r8Y86K

#auspol

#VicHealth needs to maintain a certain level of independence.

🎧 Listen to what an unexpected State budget move means for preventive health more broadly.

Guests Rob Moodie, Nicola Roxon & others.

Listen to #ABCradio
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

#SaveVicHealth #springst #auspol #health #Victoria

Open letter to fellow Victorians, from a current #VicHealth Early Career Research fellow (me).
Dear Victorians, please help #savevichealth ...

Sign the petition here: www.change.org/p/keep-viche...

SHARE the petition.

Follow Friends of VicHealth on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/frie...

Sign the Petition Keep VicHealth Independent and Strong for a Healthier Future #SaveVicHealth

If you think that getting rid of Vic Health is a short-sighted and ultimately costly decision, one thing you can do is sign the petition. #SaveVicHealth #VicPol #SpringSt

This week our Co-Founders Dr Alexandra Jones and @jo-joia-le.bsky.social signed an open letter calling on the Victorian Premier, Jacinta Allan to keep VicHealth independent, strong & fully funded.

🧵 1/6

Some interesting comments on the petition to #SaveVicHealth:

www.change.org/p/keep-viche...

Bookmark this link to track our ongoing coverage of efforts to #SaveVicHealth.

www.croakey.org/category/pub...

And see some of the comments below:

Sign the Petition Keep VicHealth Independent and Strong for a Healthier Future #SaveVicHealth

3750 people from Australia & 32 other countries have signed a @change.org petition urging the Victorian government to keep global health promotion leader #VicHealth independent, & not ‘absorb’ it into the Dept. of Health.

Search #SaveVicHealth to learn why, then sign the petition:
c.org/9VZkNDXLDf

Sign the Petition Keep VicHealth Independent and Strong for a Healthier Future #SaveVicHealth

#VicHealth is more than government agency - it’s part of who we are as Victorians, & world leading incubator & innovator for #HealthPromotion & #PublicHealth.
But @vicgovau.bsky.social wants to shut it down.
Join other friends of VicHealth to raise our voices and #SaveVicHealth c.org/YkpGWMTPfH

Australia showed up for #HLM4 on #NCDs & #MentalHealth.
Hayley Jones (McCabe Centre for Law & Cancer) & I shared a recap with @croakeynews.bsky.social
Want to hear more?
Join our webinar cohosted w The George Institute on 15 October: georgehub.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#ActOnNCDs #LeadOnNCDs #UNGA80

Australia’s Role in Global NCD Action highlighted at Parliamentary Event Get a closer look at how Australia is stepping up to support global action on NCDs, with highlights from a major event at Parliament House. This blog shares inspiring stories, practical strategies, an...

#UNGA80 is underway, the #NCDs & #MentalHealth High Level Mtg is tomorrow & it’s #NCDAlliance’s Global Week for Action.
Hayley Jones, Diane Shelton (McCabe) & Veronica LeNevez (TGI) & recapped our recent event on what it looks like to #ActOnNCDs #LeadOnNCDs in Australia
actonncds.org/stories/blog...

Australia may be far from the UN, but chronic disease & mental health are shared global challenges.

40+ orgs have backed a call to the Australian Government to act with ambition, ahead of (& beyond) the UN #HLM4 on #NCDs in 3 weeks.

🔗 www.georgeinstitute.org/our-impact/p... #ActOnNCDs #LeadOnNCDs

Parliamentary Breakfast: Australia's Role in Tackling Global Health Threats A parliamentary breakfast, hosted by The George Institute for Global Health and the McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer, will be held on Tuesday, 29th July 2025...

With < 2 months to the 4th #UNHLM on #NCDs & #MentalHealth, I’m pleased to be in Canberra as part of the TGI & McCabe team hosting tomorrow’s parliamentary breakfast on Australian leadership to elevate ambition & accelerate action to #ActOnNCDs & #LeadOnNCDs www.georgeinstitute.org/news-and-med...

Why Retiring the Word "Lifestyle" Would Improve How We Talk About Health Words matter. And when it comes to discussing health, illness, and risk, one word is particularly problematic: "lifestyle".

To improve health, we need to stop using the word #lifestyle when discussing disease and risk factors. It oversimplifies complex #health isues, and distracts from broader causes that must be addressed for meaningful change.
#ActOnNCDs #LeadOnNCDs #NCDs #UNHLM www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-re...

A crucial #4Corners examination of #cancer diagnoses in young people.
What is behind it?
Understanding can help reduce the impact of #NCDs like cancer for current and future generations, but requires looking beyond 'health' to our environments.
Best wishes to those sharing their stories. #ActOnNCDs

During #WHA78 discussions countries incl Australia expressed high ambitions for the 2025 UN #HLM4 on #NCDs & #MentalHealth. With political declaration negotiations underway, Veronica Le Nevez, Hayley Jones & I share some improvements we hope to see: @croakeynews.bsky.social #LeadOnNCDs #ActOnNCDs

One of the highlights & most human moments of @australianlabor.bsky.social swearing in ceremony - watching the Governor General Sam Mostyn usher in Anika Well’s three children to see their mum take up comms & sport portfolios. (🤞 for unhealthy marketing & social media reforms!) @albomp.bsky.social

Screenshot showing Prof Fiona Bull from WHO describing the seven policy action areas in the toolkit: 1. Integrate walking and cycling into all relevant policies Embed walking and cycling objectives across transport, health, environment, education, and tourism policies. Establish clear, measurable targets and crossgovernment coordination mechanisms. 2. Provide safe and connected walking and cycling networks Develop well-connected, well-maintained infrastructure that links homes to key destinations (e.g. schools, transit, workplaces). Integrate green spaces and apply inclusive and sustainable urban design principles. 3. Design inclusive and safe streets for all Use human-centred design principles to create streets that accommodate all users, including pedestrians and cyclists of all ages and abilities. Implement safe system approach to improve road safety including best practice legislation to reduce speed limits where necessary. 4. Improve safe road user behaviour Enforce speed limits, tackle distracted and impaired driving, and promote safe use by all road users. 5. Protect and prioritize walking and cycling Create, maintain and protect allocation of road space to walking and cycling, implement pedestrian zones, and enforce parking regulations. 6. Facilitate integrated transport options Ensure walking and cycling are part of a seamless transport experience through integration with public transport and shared mobility services. 7. Promote and incentivize walking and cycling Create a culture of walking and cycling through communication campaigns, events, financial incentives, and workplace and school programmes.

Excellent @who.int webinar launching their impressive new toolkit for promoting walking and cycling.
www.who.int/publications...

Great to hear mention of the WHO HEAT tool during the discussion.
www.who.int/tools/heat-f...

Always curious to see who sponsors @politico.com London Playbook dispatches according to what is politically salient, usually used to slip tailored messages to political audiences. This one is that they are global & local, economically important & helping British people to reduce sugar consumption 🤔

Concluded #Prevention2025 watching the sun set on Parliament House. Thanks @publichealthaus.bsky.social & conference committee for coordinating an interesting program & so many allies to explore how health is political & how that may require alternative approaches to securing solutions to problems.

In what world would anyone ‘recommend’ any type of alcohol to reduce the risk of one disease knowing it would simultaneously increase the risk of others (like cancer).

It’s like tobacco in the 1920s again.

A dangerous inference that will be irresponsibly repeated over & over.