The paper examines the public health implications of the GMC 400 V8 Supercar Race held in Canberra, in June 2000 and 2001. The race was held in and around the Parliamentary Zone, a place of powerful national symbolism. The race had a number of potential impacts on public health and on the development of healthy transport policy. Of particular importance were the impacts on - and the messages about - road safety. The impacts of the race can be examined at a number of spatial scales. At the local scale, disruptions to healthier and safer transport modes such as walking, cycling and public transport are considered. At the national scale, the issues of the glorification of the car (and a particularly 'unhealthy' type of car), as well as the glorification of speed and the combination of alcohol advertising and high-speed racing emerge. These issues may also have an impact at the international scale, considering the television coverage of the race. The location of the race in Australia's Parliamentary Zone, considered by many as the political and symbolic heart of the nation, adds legitimacy and official sanction to the potentially health-damaging impacts of the race. (A)
Samenvatting