Queensland Health Minister Wendy Edmond (pictured) and Public Works and Housing Minister Robert Schwarten (the Member for Rockhampton) today announced an extra $150,000 for 10,000 Steps.

Meanwhile, the successful CQU-based physical activity project has also been mentioned at federal level. The Labor Party\'s recently published \'plan for a healthier and more active Australia\' states that Rockhampton\'s 10,000 project provides an outstanding example of a community organised program focused specifically on reaching and engaging socio-economically disadvantaged and sedentary individuals. Labor has announced its intention to form a Community Wellbeing Fund which will put resouces into initiatives like 10,000 Steps.

Ms Edmond said the additional funding over the next year would help consolidate the project in the local area, with a particular focus on increasing physical activity levels among disadvantaged and hard-to-reach groups in the community, such as seniors and unemployed men in the 30-50 age group.

\"We want to build on the success the project has already achieved,\" Ms Edmond said.

\"As well, the nine new physical activity promotion officers employed around the State by Queensland Health will receive training and resources from the 10,000 Steps team.

\"This will enable them to apply in their local communities what we have learnt in this Rockhampton project.\" Mr Schwarten, who is a participant in and ambassador for the 10,000 Steps project, congratulated the people of Rockhampton for taking up the challenge of being more active.

\"10,000 Steps Rockhampton has more than 3500 registered participants and is well on its way to becoming a sustainable project supported by the local community,\" he said.

The 10,000 Steps Physical Activity Website: http://www.10000steps.org.au