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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-10-16 Daily Xml
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Fat Farmers Rural Health Initiative

Mr ELLIS (Narungga) (15:34): I rise today with great pleasure to talk about Fat Farmers. Of course, this is in reference to the Fat Farmers Rural Health Initiative, which was started several years ago by three farmers from Maitland who could see that they needed to get fit and so thought that they would get together to train and run. Soon, they had inspired 15 other local farmers to join them and the idea spread across farming communities around the state. Nowadays, nearly 200 Fat Farmers or farmers of varying weight meet regularly to get fit in body and mind.

I am pleased to advise that the Fat Farmers group took out the community award category of the Regional Showcase Awards held on Friday night at Maggie Beer's farm, The Farm Eatery, in the Barossa. What a fitting win for the Fat Farmers Rural Health Initiative, recognised for inspiring and encouraging rural communities to improve their health and wellbeing through physical activity. I would like to take this opportunity in this place to congratulate all those involved on their win and to state that it is very well-deserved recognition.

If you talk to one of the founders of Fat Farmers, Ben Wundersitz, he will say that it is not about the kilos that you lose—although that is a great outcome—but that its success lies in what it offers farmers who often work long hours alone and, particularly after you stop playing sport, it offers a social connection that is so needed for everyone's wellbeing. It is a place where farmers can get together in a gym—in the case of Maitland, at the old footy clubrooms—get on the exercise bikes or the rowers or do kilometres of running together, spurred on by each other, or just get there to hang out and talk about what is of interest at that particular time. Fat Farmers are great at recognising that farming is a tough life and that for some it can be isolating, so it has become a great avenue for farmers to exercise together, socialise and connect.

Soon, the Maitland group was running in the City to Bay, and now it regularly features around 150 farmers from Yorke Peninsula and other groups that have popped up around the state. I had the great pleasure of joining the Fat Farmers on the most recent City to Bay as an imposter, wearing one of their shirts and running alongside them. It was a great thrill and privilege for me to be allowed to join them on their run and attend their lunch afterwards to rehydrate the body, as was necessary after what for me was a near marathon. Things are relative, but at six kilometres the half City to Bay I ran seemed like a bloody long way.

It was great to see the Minister for Environment and Water, the Minister for Sport and Recreation and the member for Morphett there. It should be noted that some ran further than others, but just being there mattered more than any distance. It was great to join them and it is a wonderful group. We had over 70 at the most recent City to Bay, and it was a great team and great to meet new people from around the state, develop new connections and just be with like-minded people, enjoying a bit of exercise and getting out there improving health in body and in mind.

I would also like to say that a bonus of the health benefits is that Fat Farmers groups inspire others in the community to get off the couch. Founder Ben Wundersitz said, 'Anything that you can do to improve the health of local communities is a good thing'—and he is so right, in my view, particularly given the alarming reports of the increased incidence of depression and suicide amongst rural men.

Fat Farmers commenced in 2010 as a group of three farmers in Maitland, but it has since grown to become a statewide movement and groups are popping up all over the place around regional South Australia. It is really remarkable that it has grown so significantly, from a small group of farmers in Maitland to what I previously referred to as a statewide movement. It now has two groups on the EP, two or three groups on the YP, a group in Saddleworth, another one in Barossa and Light, another one in Lower North, and new ones—or I understand to be relatively new ones—at Mallee and Coonalpyn. There are 10 regional areas across South Australia where farmers are getting together and working on their fitness and improving their mindset. It is a wonderful thing to see.

Along with Ben Wundersitz, one of the founders, I would like to congratulate the executive officer, Sally Fisher, and all the team leaders who have done an amazing job getting people organised and taking part in a wonderful organisation. Fat Farmers is doing wonderful things for physical health and wonderful things for mental health, and it is having a significant impact across the state. Congratulations, Fat Farmers, on your recent award on Friday night and on the impact you are having on local regional communities.

Mr GEE: Mr Deputy Speaker, I draw your attention to the state of the house.

A quorum having been formed:

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