Keynote Speakers

Good cities, towns and villages are about choice, equity and sustainability. We should have access to information and infrastructure that enable us to choose a healthy life that leaves behind a minimum footprint.

This is not as easy as its sounds and required significant awareness from investors, planners and consumers as to the impacts of choices, and more importantly the impact of certain choices not being available.

One of the largest impact an individual person has on the environment (natural, economic and social) is using a private motor car. Many consumers are unaware of this, but in most towns it wouldn’t matter. The choice of doing without a car has mostly been taken away from us. The layout or shape of our cities is such that you need one. If you cant afford one or want to reduce your environmental impact, or live a more active lifestyle by not using one, your choice of the services and locations you can equally access are severely restricted. No choice, it is not sustainable and it is not equitable – you are stuck, and we have to figure a way out…without smashing the window.

Bio

Steven Burgess is an Engineer and an urban strategist and very popular speaker on urban issues throughout Australia, New Zealand and North America. He was principal author for the book “Complete Streets – Guidelines to Urban Street Design” published in 2010 and is working on the NACTO/Bloomberg Global Street Design initiative. Steven has had 25 years professional experience working throughout Australia as well as projects in New Zealand, the United States and the Middle East.

Dr Thomas Astell-Burt & Dr Xiaoqu Feng

The business case for investing in green space for health purposes: what do we know, what do we think we know, and what do we need to know?

The human, financial and wider societal costs of obesity and chronic non-communicable diseases like type 2 diabetes mellitus in Australia are high, but not inevitable. Prevention and better management are needed to prevent complications and empower people to live long, healthy and happy lives. One problem is the determinants of obesity and diabetes risk are intergenerational, environmental, multifaceted and inequitably distributed. There is growing belief – and evidence – that the equitable provision of quality green space can play a potentially key role in supporting a healthier, more liveable Australia. However, in order to develop the business case for investing in green space for health purposes, it is crucial to take stock of the evidence and build accordingly. In this presentation, we will summarise the areas in which we have strong international evidence for the health benefits of green space, the areas where we think there could be mileage but have weak evidence to support thus far, and the key outstanding gaps in knowledge that are crucial to address.

Bio: Dr. Thomas Astell-Burt’s research is located at the interface between population, wellbeing and environmental studies using a range of quantitative approaches (e.g. Geographic Information Systems). Thomas is leading an National Health and Medical Research Council-funded project to identify built and natural environments that support better diabetes care. He is interested in building multisectoral partnerships, enhancing evidence for decision makers and, in particular, developing the business case for investing in more and better quality green spaces for health purposes. He is working with Dr Xiaoqi Feng to co-direct the Population Wellbeing and Environmental Research Lab (PowerLab).

Career Summary:

• Graduated in 2010 with a PhD in Social Epidemiology
• Named Park and Leisure Australia’s ‘Emerging Leader’ for 2014
• 77 publications (65 published, 12 under review)
• Over $2.3 million in research income

Selected publications:

1. Astell-Burt T, Feng X, Kolt, GS. Greener neighborhoods, slimmer people? International Journal of Obesity. 2014. 38(1): 156-159. (Impact Factor: 5.22)

2. Astell-Burt T, Feng X, Kolt, GS. Is neighbourhood green space associated with a lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus? Evidence from 267,072 Australians. Diabetes Care. 2014. 37(1): 197-201. (Impact Factor: 8.6)

3. Astell-Burt T, Mitchell R, Hartig T. The association between green space and mental health varies across the lifecourse. A longitudinal study. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 2014. 68: 578-583 (Impact Factor: 3.19)

4. Astell-Burt T, Feng X, Badland HM, Mavoa S, Giles-Corti B. Do low-income neighbourhoods have the least green space? A cross-sectional study of Australia’s most populous cities. BMC Public Health. 2014. 14: 292 (Impact Factor: 2.32)

5. Astell-Burt T, Feng X, Kolt, GS. Green space is associated with walking and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in middle-to-older aged adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2014. 48(5): 404-406. (Impact Factor: 3.67)

Bio: Dr Xiaoqi Feng is a Chief Investigator on a National Health and Medical Research Council grant ($714K) and the National Heart Foundation of Australia Fellow in Built Environment and Health at the University of Wollongong. Xiaoqi has strong research interests in understanding what types of green space promote the best start in life for children, and how much green space is needed to help keep people healthy and out of hospital in older age. This research is conducted in Australia (e.g. with the Western Sydney Local Health District and Diabetes NSW) and in China (e.g. with the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC). She is working with A/Prof Astell-Burt to co-direct the Population Wellbeing and Environmental Research Lab (PowerLab).

Career Summary: