Advances in science and medical research and public health policies have meant that life expectancy for Australians is one of the highest in the world.

And I believe that the best buy in public health today must be a combination of regular physical exercise and a healthy diet.

We know that so many of the conditions and diseases that we associate with ageing can often be prevented or in fact their onset delayed if we just took preventative steps earlier in our lives.

The message from the United States and Europe is that governments must live within their means.

Prevention is one of the few known ways to reduce demand for health and aged care services.

Tobacco companies are legally operating entities in Australia. If the Government thinks that they should not make donations to political parties, well then they should ban them operating as legally structured entities in Australia.

The Gillard government must give up its addiction to wasteful spending borrowing and taxing.