Page 3976 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 20 September 2017
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Sport—participation
MS ORR: My question is to the Minister for Sport and Recreation. Minister, can you please update the Assembly on the most recent participation rates for sport and recreation in the ACT and how this year’s sport and recreation grants program will help increase participation further.
MS BERRY: The ACT has very strong participation rates. For example, for adults, 85.1 per cent participate in a physical or sporting activity once a week, compared to 79 per cent nationally. And 66.4 per cent participate at least three times a week, compared to 59 per cent nationally. For children, 74.1 per cent participated in a sport or physical activity outside of school hours in the past 12 months.
This year’s sport and recreation grants program will provide a $2.4 million investment into helping those numbers grow even further. The program will deliver funding across many operational needs and capital projects and will also deliver key parts of the ACT government’s election platform, which included a new women’s sport and recreation participation and leadership program, the new motor sports training and education program and funding and guidelines for the upgrade of sports amenities to be more inclusive and female friendly.
The Canberra community, through the government, makes a big annual investment in sport and recreation each year. I want to thank those sports that have stepped up strongly on gender equity, and I assure everyone of the ACT’s commitment to continuing to achieve on this goal.
MS ORR: Minister, how does this grants announcement deliver on the government’s election commitments in sport and recreation?
MS BERRY: I have mentioned the programs that will be delivered as part of the ACT government’s election commitment last year, including $500,000 for female-friendly infrastructure. Even before the election we started seeing the sports community along with designers, builders and planners responding to this commitment. Today I have released new guidelines to formalise best practice, and I expect that over the next four years the government will exceed its commitment on funding for projects which make facilities more inclusive and encourage more women and girls to engage and participate in sport.
The government committed $400,000 for women’s participation and leadership. This program will take shape through the course of many conversations with local sporting communities. The government has directed part of the funding into a competitive grants pool for this year, and will make further announcements around a new program soon.
There is also $100,000 in grants for motorsport. This category responded to representation from different parts of Canberra’s motorsport community, and I know that there was also very keen interest in this from Mr Gentleman. Work has also occurred on the commitment to match play lighting at the Calwell District Playing Fields under the sport and recreation grants program.
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