Mr GRANT McBRIDE (The Entrance) [12.00 p.m.]: I recently spoke to one of my famous over-sixties constituents, John Wall, who told me about his campaign to build a healthier nation for the older generation. At 64, John represents a fitness level beyond many individuals 20 years his junior—perhaps even 40 years his junior. He still runs and trains regularly, is totally enthusiastic about wellbeing and is a credit to athletes both young and old. In 2009 he was accorded the honour of becoming an Ambassador for the World Masters Games held in Sydney and an Australia Day representative. As part of his roles John was invited to travel across the country to bring his message of fitness for the older generation, what it means to be a fit sixties-plus athlete, and the advantage of exercise. John has been an athlete all his life. In the masters ranks, John has been the New South Wales 100 metres and 200 metres champion for the last four years and, at the Australian Masters Games in Sydney and the recent World Championships, the 100 metres gold medal champion. A great achievement for an Australian and Central Coast seniors runner.

John's life has been the subject of the ABC's iconic Australian Story program, chronicling his life as a top athlete. Last year Runners World International magazine covered his story with an impressive seven-page article. He is a regular on morning television and radio programs talking about health and longevity and is an acknowledged expert in his field. John is the ideal person to help build a healthier nation. His program has been designed to cater for all levels of fitness, from the very fit to those who are invalided. It is available for everyone, but in particular for those over 50.

John's ambition is clearly defined by his own achievements in the athletics arena and his passionate belief in bridging the generation gap between the young and the old by combining the resources of the police and community youth clubs and retirement villages and aged organisations on the Central Coast. It is not well recognised that the Central Coast has the largest number of under-19s as a percentage of the population and that we are also very competitive in the over-65 age group. His team of inspirers and trainers will ensure a better understanding of how to achieve a degree of general fitness, leading to improved wellness and quality of life.

Fitness is one of the most import elements to a long and fulfilling life, and John and his team are doing everything to encourage the baby boomer generation to get fit and stay fit. John has designed his pilot program to have the capacity to be encapsulated and expanded across all of New South Wales, which will benefit all seniors, not just those on the Central Coast. His program will create health and fitness and an understanding of the value of our bodies as the vehicle that will carry us to our immediate and long-term future and ultimately a fitness that will last us a long lifetime. The program has relevance as a counter to the obesity problems, drug and alcohol troubles and all the associated medical difficulties that confront those over 50.

The format of John's program will consist of an opening, with a short history of what fitness can do for older people, plus questions and answers, followed by basic health and fitness exercises structured to the degree of difficulty based on age and health considerations. The building a healthier nation program aims to encourage by positive example—to inspire and build self-esteem, to stimulate personal motivation and to encourage an understanding of the value of keeping ourselves fit and healthy for our benefit and also for the benefit of our families. As someone once said:

The nation may be built on the backs of the young, but it is carried on the shoulders of experience by the mature aged.

I applaud John Wall and his continued involvement in fitness and health and his commitment to share his wealth of information and inspiration designed especially for the mature aged in the hope that they will be personally enthused by his commitment and perseverance. John is one of those truly unique people whom I have met in my role as the member for The Entrance. He is a true inspiration when it comes to the benefit of wellness and fitness in our community.