Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

None . . Page.. 579 ..

The Bureau of Sport, Recreation and Racing has various programs which directly assist organisations in the delivery of sport and recreation services, including the sport and recreation development grant program, the volunteer involvement program and the ACT Coaching Centre. An identified priority is the enhancement of organisations' professional management skills to encourage long-term planning, accountability and self-sufficiency. The aim is to assist organisations in obtaining sponsorships, finding funding alternatives, constructing and managing their own facilities and staging major events.

As stated in our policy, we will also be moving towards a system of triennial funding of major organisations to enable effective long-term planning and greater certainty in funding arrangements. This is in line with national trends and will involve annual assessments of performance against the organisation's agreed development plan. The sporting community has lobbied hard for this approach, and we will involve sporting groups in the development of a streamlined grants process that meets sports needs and is fully accountable based on outcomes to the community. We will also continue to ensure access and opportunities for all the community by making available resources, facilities and coaches to identify and meet the needs of women, the young, the disadvantaged, people with disabilities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

In regard to physical education and school sport, I have already outlined in my statement as Minister for Education the Government's commitment to upgrading the level of school sports in the ACT. As the Minister for both portfolios, I have been able to tackle this issue head-on, as it were, to commence the development of a joint approach to sports education that was sorely needed and, until now, sorely missing. I have already established a four-person Physical Education and Sports Unit in the Department of Education and Training to improve the focus of this area in schools. I have also given directions that a physical education teacher be identified in each primary school to coordinate the delivery of PE programs. The strategy is that they will be trained, if they are not already, so that they can then pass on the skills to others. By this time next year I would hope to have sharpened the focus for the delivery of PE in every primary school and have PE as a compulsory subject up to Year 10 in high schools. It is up to Year 8 at present. In addition, I will be reintroducing specific times in the school curriculum to foster both interschool sport for primary and high schools and intraschool sport for primary and high schools. By 1997 school sport will become an integral part of education.

The racing component of the sports portfolio will receive particular attention. I have revived the Racing Industry Forum, involving representatives of the gallops, trots, greyhounds, bookmakers and the TAB. It will meet shortly to discuss and seek resolution to common issues affecting racing interests throughout the Territory. It will assist the Government in best meeting the needs of the racing industry. It was a particularly useful forum in the past, when I chaired it under the Alliance Government. It is a great way for all those groups to get together and sort out problems with the Government. Another area of racing is motor sports. The needs of motor sports are an area which the Government has proceeded to address quickly. The bureau is currently examining all options, ranging from the relocation of motor sports to a long-term strategy for the Fairbairn Park and Sutton Road facilities.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .