NRL stars supporting Indigenous households to go
Smoke-Free
Brisbane, Tuesday 31 May 2016
Rugby league greats Sam Thaiday and Steve Renouf are among supporters for a new campaign
launched today by the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health to increase the number of smoke-free
households in Queensland.
Deadly Places, Smoke-Free Spaces encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households to
sign a pledge to declare their home a Deadly, Smoke-Free Home.
Those who sign the pledge today during World No Tobacco Day celebrations at their local Aboriginal
Medical Service (AMS) will take home a Deadly Home pack containing door stickers, fridge magnets
and car air-fresheners to communicate the importance of keeping homes and cars a smoke-free
environment.
Pledge-takers will also enter the competition to win a trip to Sydney to watch State of Origin 3 at
Suncorp Stadium.
The Deadly Places, Smoke-Free Spaces campaign is aligned with the Deadly Choices social marketing
campaign which encourages all in community to have regular health checks and to quit smoking.
47% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders smoke compared to 17% of the non-Indigenous
population and tobacco smoking is the largest single preventable cause of death and disease in
Australia.
Rugby league great and father of four Steve Renouf says that the campaign is playing a crucial role in
reducing the exposure of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members to tobacco
smoke,
“Smoking around friends and family can make them sick. As a proud Dad, I know it’s really important
to make your home a Deadly Smoke-Free home. This campaign makes it easy for people to make
and keep their spaces smoke-free, and re-inforce that message to their family and friends,” he said.
Fellow Dad and rugby league great Sam Thaiday is also encouraging participation in the campaign,
having recorded a video message before he entered the Maroons camp last week encouraging
households to “Sign the pledge to make your home a Deadly Smoke-Free Home and look after our
little ones.”
Institute for Urban Indigenous Health CEO Adrian Carson is looking forward to seeing the campaign’s
impact on community over coming months,
“The Deadly Places, Smoke-Free Spaces campaign is educating community around the dangers of
environmental tobacco smoke and the importance of smoke-free homes, cars and workplaces.
“This campaign will clearly track the number of Indigenous households in Queensland who are
committed to being Deadly, Smoke-Free Spaces. We will also know how many individual community
members are directly impacted by the campaign.
“We want as many Indigenous people throughout South East Queensland and across wider
Queensland as possible to benefit from establishing Deadly Places, Smoke-Free Spaces”, he said.
Details for World No Tobacco Day events at South East Queensland AMS’s are available on the
Deadly Choices website www.deadlychoices.com.au.
Households wanting to take the pledge who are unable to get to their local AMS on World No
Tobacco Day can do so until the end of June on the Deadly Choices website
www.deadlychoices.com.au.
Available spokespeople:
Steve Renouf
Rugby league legend and Deadly Choices Ambassador
For further information:
Lorraine Pacey
Senior Communications Officer
Institute for Urban Indigenous Health
0428 792 535
[email protected]
About the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health
The Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) leads the planning, development and delivery of
comprehensive primary health care services to the Indigenous population of South East Queensland
(SEQ). www.iuih.org.au