Inquiry into Environmental Design and Public Health

On 5 April 2011, the Legislative Council agreed to the following motion*:

That this House requires the Environment and Planning References Committee to inquire into, consider and report on the contribution of environmental design to prevention and public health in Victoria, and in particular:

(1)     review the evidence of the contribution of the natural and built environments to the promotion of health and well-being;

(2)     identify and report on those elements of environmental planning and design which provide the most promising opportunities for 
          improving health outcomes in Victoria;

(3)     assess the extent to which these factors are currently taken into account in environmental planning and design in both the public and 
         private sectors, and their effectiveness, with particular reference to new growth areas;

(4)     determine opportunities to influence environmental planning and design for health, including consideration of the role of legislation, 
         guidelines, and public-private partnerships, and the costs and benefits of various options; and

(5)     provide recommendations for future planning and investment; and that the Committee will consider:

         (a)     the effectiveness of the Environments for Health Municipal Public Health Planning Framework;

         (b)     the State Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, the Transport Integration Act 2010 and the Planning and Environment Act 1987;

         (c)     international experience such as the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Healthy Cities initiative;

         (d)     the consistency of policy approaches across the Victorian Government to promote health through evidence based environmental
                   planning and design measures; and

         (e)     the role of public open space in promoting health;

and that the Committee present its final report to Parliament no later than 12 months after this reference is given to the Committee.

On 29 March 2012, the Legislative Council agreed to extend the Committee's reporting date to no later than 31 May 2012.