Stars back public health plan

By REBECCA WALSH, health reporter

If he can make a difference to just one person's life boxer David Tua says his role in a new public health campaign will have been well worth it.

Tua and other celebrities have joined a "role model register" set up by Auckland Regional Public Health Service to promote healthy living.

Yesterday, Tua was joined by former All Black Inga Tuigamala at the launch of the service's strategic health plan, which covers areas from stopping smoking to obesity, exercise and suncare.

"It's a great privilege and honour to be part of such a great cause. There is not enough we can do for our people and certainly our youth," said Tua, who features on a Smokefree Pasifika poster.

"If a person like me or Inga can make a difference in one person's life that's all it takes ... It doesn't cost to care."

Among celebrities and role models signed up are entertainer Pio Terei, hip hop group Nesian Mystic, TV3 presenters Carol Hirschfeld and John Campbell, and Silver Fern Temepara Clark.

They will front events and their images will be used for future public health campaigns.

Maori educationist Dr Pita Sharples, who featured in the quit smoking campaign "It's about whanau", appears on one of the Kia Kaha cards for people to send to friends and family members as an expression of support to those contemplating or trying to quit smoking.

The manager of the Auckland Regional Public Health Service, Monica Briggs, said the role models would help reach a broader audience, vital given the fast growth and diversity of the Auckland population.

Over the next three years the service would focus on five key areas including healthy housing and child health. It was considering an annual "state of public health" report.

The launch also included information and posters on the programme to target refugees, who spend their first few weeks in New Zealand at the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre, and displays promoting the "slip, slop, slap and wrap" message.

Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia took the opportunity to focus on "so-called special privileges for Maori".

She said public health was about improving health through the organised efforts of society. Most people were happy to support those with special needs "because we realise that, one day, the person with special needs could be me", but others saw them as a burden.