Page 4900 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 11 November 2009
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It is fair to say that sport plays a central role in Australian society. We have been successfully competing against nations with much larger populations and often better competitive geography. By competitive geography, I refer to the opportunities European nations, for example, have to compete against each other on a more regular basis due to their close proximity. More often than not, we also compete against nations that are expanding their investment in elite sport. We celebrate the achievements of our elite sportspersons, who have of recent times achieved fantastic results in a difficult context.
In the ACT, the government, through a range of institutions, contributes strongly to elite-level sport in Australia. Funding for ACTAS and ACT Sport helps these bodies contribute to the nation’s pool of elite athletes. Significant funding has also been provided to this city’s top sporting clubs, such as the Brumbies, the Raiders and the Capitals—as well as my beloved Canberra United, which competes with distinction in the W-League.
When one considers the size of the ACT, it is fair to say that we have a number of outstanding teams to support, including a national champion basketball club and, as I said, the women’s soccer team, which came within a whisker of achieving the same status. I think you would agree that we punch above our weight here in the ACT.
In Australia over the past decade, there has been a tendency to emphasise a pathway from participation in sport to the elite level. Australians take great pride in our national sporting teams. This has been reflected in the federal sports policies designed to achieve outstanding results in elite international competition such as the Olympic Games. However, sport should not be considered only as a source of national pride; it also plays an important role in building stronger communities and promoting healthy lifestyles that contribute to the wellbeing of all Australians, and of course all Canberrans.
Indeed, this pathway is perhaps not the best model for achieving these positive community and health outcomes. In New Zealand, a circular model is used to promote a system where participants are encouraged to opt in or opt out where they choose. The merit of such a model is that it promotes ongoing participation where people who are no longer striving to achieve an elite level of performance are nonetheless encouraged to participate in sport and enjoy positive outcomes such as improved wellbeing and a stronger sense of social inclusion.
The economic benefit derived from professional sport is well understood by governments. However, this government accepts that non-professional teams can also serve as an economic driver, particularly through the organisation of large-scale amateur tournaments. Often such events are designed to bring communities of competitors in minor sports together in one place. Canberra has proven to be an ideal location for such events, as is evidenced in the enormously successful Kanga Cup.
I would be surprised if the Crawford report did not highlight the need to strike a balance between elite sport and community-based participation that will lead to stronger communities and more active lifestyles. As is clearly outlined in this
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