Page 300 - Week 01 - Thursday, 27 February 2014
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MR BARR: I note the cynicism from those opposite about the sport and recreation industry. It is very disappointing. I would like to inform those opposite, because they probably were not paying attention, that in the 2010-11 financial year the government and ACTSport commissioned Access Economics to undertake a study into the value of the sport and recreation industry to the ACT.
In 2010-11, Access Economics found that the sport and recreation industry was worth $250 million a year to the ACT economy and provided work for around 3,000 of our fellow Canberrans. The study also found that 27,000 Canberrans contributed more than three million hours annually in voluntary roles in the sector. That $15 or $16 an hour would equate to nearly $50 million worth of labour contribution made voluntarily.
The study also showed that participation in sport and recreation saved the community nearly $85 million annually in associated health costs. So there is no doubt that the government’s investment in sport and recreation has generated significant benefits, both economic and social, for our community.
The government has invested significantly in our major event venues, such as Canberra Stadium, Manuka Oval and Stromlo Forest Park. The government has also supported significant investments in local and regional sporting facilities to assist local sporting organisations to encourage local participation, but also to encourage the hosting of events such as national championships.
Some examples of this investment include upgrades at the Lyneham sports precinct, the Narrabundah velodrome, the Woden athletics park, Gungahlin oval, Greenway oval, the Tuggeranong hockey fields, the Hawker synthetic football fields and the Hawker softball centre. Those are just some of the examples.
Mr Doszpot interjecting—
MR BARR: There is a commitment to volleyball as well—yes, an Olympic sport, Mr Doszpot. There has been a commitment in recent times to Athletics ACT for new equipment as part of the Woden athletics park upgrade, to Fencing ACT for new equipment to support the national fencing championships being held in Canberra in 2015 and to the Canberra Dragon Boat Association for the procurement of racecourse infrastructure to support their major events on Lake Burley Griffin.
As members would be aware, both within our own country and internationally there is significant competition between cities to attract sporting events and high participation amateur events. So it is important that we invest in the city’s venues to meet the standards and expectations of the sporting codes.
Leveraging off the outstanding success of the sporting program in our centenary year we look forward to bringing more and more major sporting events to our city. We have supported the Canberra Convention Bureau in assisting sport and recreation organisations to achieve that end. The bureau has delivered some outstanding results of that government investment.
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