Page 2796 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 29 June 2011
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recreation to grow in the next decade. I note Ms Porter’s enthusiasm for what she has termed the dynamic partnership between the sport and recreation industry and government. I know that from the sports and recreation community there is dynamic enthusiasm. I cannot accept that it is reciprocated in the directions that this minister takes at times. I will cover that in more points later on.
Let me say that some excellent Canberrans are stakeholders and contributors to this document, and I have no criticism of their genuine support and dedication. I have worked over the years with many sporting groups and Canberra should be ever thankful for their unwavering enthusiasm and willingness to give so freely of their time.
The members of the active 2020 strategic planning board are acknowledged at the back of the plan, and their work and commitment should be recognised. The document is obviously the result of a great deal of discussion and serious contemplation, and it is an important document to chart the future of sport and recreation in the territory.
Indeed, much of what is contained in Ms Porter’s motion is captured already in the strategic plan. So on that basis I am not sure that it needs to be repeated in the motion. Once again, as we often get in these motions from the backbench, there are congratulatory remarks about what already has been agreed to. We do not necessarily want to be party to adding window-dressing to something that has already been agreed to and already is part of a strategic plan.
In Ms Porter’s motion there is a lot of sugar coating and no hard accountability indicators. I agree with our colleague Mr Rattenbury about the need to have accountability indicators. There are no key performance indicators that we can look at on a half-yearly or yearly basis and chart progress. I have absolutely no faith in the capacity and willingness of the minister in charge to actually deliver all of it.
Minister Barr has form. He is the grand master of glossy brochures. He should be, and could be, a visiting professor at one of our universities in marketing activities—not effective marketing, just how you can use spin and colour to avoid scrutiny and serious policy delivery. There is little follow-through, and if this strategy is to be realised, it will need follow-through of the strategic plan.
This is presumably a significant planning document. Just to highlight the fact that I spoke about before, about all of these issues already being covered, I will quote the last couple of paragraphs of the minister’s message at the beginning of this very impressive brochure:
The resultant ACTIVE 2020 Strategic Plan highlights the significant role sport and active recreation plays in the economic and social health of our community. It recognises the diversity of participation type and level, the need for associated infrastructure and greater promotion of the value of sport and recreation towards health and education. Importantly ACTIVE 2020 also connects ACT priorities to the National Sport and Active Recreation Framework which provides a clear pathway in pursuit of a high performing sport and active recreation sector.
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