The result could prove welcome news for Newcastle PTs like Scott Hingston, who last week started an online petition against the cost of permits.

“Putting limitations on people attempting to become better versions of themselves isn't helping the rate of obesity in Newcastle decrease. The council can't argue with this! The stats don't lie!” Hingston wrote on social media before inviting others to support his campaign to get the fees waived.

PTs are required to have a permit to conduct outdoor fitness classes at Newcastle beaches, parks and reserves.

A yearly permit costs a trainer around $2000, regardless of how many outdoors sessions they conduct.

Trainers also pay their own insurance fees plus have additional weekly fees of $100 to $300 if they work out of a gym.

Hingston conducts the majority of his PT sessions indoors but wants to be able to run a weekly outdoors session without incurring huge costs.

He believes the permit fees are preventing more PTs from taking their sessions outdoors and helping more people improve their health.

“I think the licenses are really inconsistent,” Hingston said. 

“Most of my income is based on my one-on-one PT but I like to be out in the park one, maybe two hours maximum per week. So we’re paying the same amount of fees as someone who would use the park seven days a week for maybe 30 hours a week of group exercise.

“A lot of trainers don’t have the funds to pay for two sets of fees. Therefore it reduces the opportunities of us helping people reduce the risk of health issues such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes, which are big factors here at the moment.”

Hingston has received overwhelming support for his online petition and hopes to meet with the council to discuss ways to help improve community health.

“We have one of the best coastlines in Australia, so we don’t want to restrict people from using that and to restrict trainers from helping people to get results,” he said.

“The gym can become a bit like groundhog day and people need variety. For them to get outside and do something different may motivate them a bit more.”​

Hingston would like the council to consider allocating specific parks, reserves or beaches in Newcastle as designated training areas for specified days and times.

“As a PT you get paid in results but I think a lot of people just think we’re trying to make money,” he said. “But it’s about giving people a bit of diversity to enjoy what we have in Newcastle.

“If we can allocate designated dog parks for people to let their dogs roam around at places like Dixon Park and Horseshoe Beach, surely we can find a few parks in Newcastle where the council can say between 6am and 9am on these days you can use this as an organised park.

“A good example of what the council have helped Newcastle with is the parkrun. The parkrun is free and when you do things for free it allows the culture to become a lot stronger. As soon as there is money involved … it just builds so many more barriers for where people want to get to.

“At the end of the day it’s about helping the people of Newcastle. If we could have the council approaching PTs to say, ‘What can we do to help you decrease those stats’, that’s what we want. It’s about trying to make a change.”

When The Star took some of Hingston’s concerns to Newcastle City Council a spokesperson said: “Newcastle City Council is currently looking at introducing a more flexible permit system for personal trainers to encourage more people in Newcastle and the Hunter to take up group exercise for better health outcomes and stronger social connections. Daily and weekly charges to complement annual and quarterly flat fees are being considered.”

The council introduced permits for PTs in Newcastle several years ago to regulate the industry. 

“Fitness Australia, the peak industry association for more than 30,000 fitness professionals, supports and encourages councils to licence personal trainers,” the NCC spokesperson said.

“Recent inspections revealed only one personal trainer operating unlicensed, so the permit system is working in Newcastle to protect public assets, clients of personal trainers and trainers themselves.

“Personal trainers run businesses at sites and facilities maintained by councils with funds drawn from rate payers’ annual dues. The wear and tear on these venues by fitness classes and the increasing amounts of equipment employed by personal trainers are factored into the calculations of personal training fees.

“Control of activities and locations for sporting clubs and associations are managed through sporting licence agreements and relevant fees and charges for usage. Although most sports groups are not businesses, they still require licenses and are charged fees for usage.”