3 Minutes with Michael Moore AM is part of a series of interviews “3 minutes with…” showcasing some of the outstanding presenters you will enjoy at Lifestyle Medicine 2017. These interviews are designed to delve deeper into what inspires our speakers about Lifestyle Medicine, their work and life in general.

Michael Moore AM is the CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia and is the President of the World Federation of Public Health Associations. He is the chair of a number of health networks. Michael is a former Minister of Health and Community Care and was an Independent member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly for four terms from 1989 to 2001.

With such accomplishments in the field, we were very excited to hear what he had to say:

You have been working in Public Health for many decades, could you identify and share with us where your passion and motivation stems from?

Illicit drugs and prostitution were responsible for an interest in public health. In my early days as an Independent MLA I was seeking to assist those who were most vulnerable in our society as Chair of a Select Committee on HIV. Illegal Drugs and Prostitution. My interest in the impact of outside influences on the health of individuals and the community resulted in undertaking further studies at the Australian National University. I completed my Master’s Degree in Population Health in 1997 and was appointed as Australia’s first Independent Minister in 1998 with the Health and Community Care portfolios.

What element of your work gives you the greatest sense of encouragement for the health of humans in the 21^st century?

Recognising that there is a growing understanding of how health can be improved despite the frustration of the low spending within the health budgets on prevention – that has now stooped to less than 2%. Internationally, there is a recognition of the importance of “protection, prevention and health promotion” for a better society and the importance of supporting these with “accurate information, capacity building, good governance and effective advocacy” (as per the Global Charter for the Public’s Health).

If a genie granted you one wish to change an element of the political system in relation to Public Health, what would you wish?

Ensuring appropriate taxation so that the wealthy do not avoid paying their taxes in order to facilitate investment into prevention, protection and health promotion with a particular focus on the most vulnerable.

You have three hours of completely uninterrupted time; how do you spend it?

Grabbing my walking poles and boots, putting the leads on the dogs, walking up the nearest mountain with my wife.

Find out more about Lifestyle Medicine 2017 here.