Page 969 - Week 04 - Thursday, 7 May 2020

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principals association and the P&C council. That is appropriate in a situation where changes occur, circumstances change, and the ACT government can take the time to communicate with its employees through their representatives. That is normally the case for communications with people who work in the ACT government.

I know that some people will feel as though they have not had all of the information available or been consulted directly or personally by me, my office or the Education Directorate, but I have confidence in their representatives that they have represented the interests of their members.

Sport––COVID-19

MR MILLIGAN: My question is to the Minister for Sport and Recreation. On 1 May 2020, the national cabinet agreed on the framework for rebooting sport in a COVID-19 environment that was developed by the Australian Institute of Sport. This comprehensive guide provides clear advice for individual sports to undertake a staged resumption of activities. Minister, when can sports in the ACT get back to operating at levels outlined in this framework?

MS BERRY: Sport and Recreation ACT has been working closely with sports organisations on plans for a return, carefully and in a considered and managed way, to ease restrictions so that people can get engaged in sport. There is a national cabinet meeting tomorrow, where national cabinet will consider what easing of restrictions will happen nationally and what easing of restrictions will occur within states and territories. That will be decided based on advice from national cabinet at the meeting tomorrow.

MR MILLIGAN: Minister, the general assistance section outlines the steps required for commercial gyms, boot camps, yoga and so on. When will these entities be able to reopen for business and start to generate some form of income?

MS BERRY: The advice, obviously, will be dependent on health advice. The advice for indoor sports and gyms will be different from that for outdoor activities, because of the physical nature of them, the number of people in enclosed places and the risk of infection occurring in those places. As I said, we will work closely with all of those organisations as easing of restrictions occurs nationally, based on health advice and on national cabinet recommendations.

MR WALL: Minister, outside of liaising with peak bodies, what communication is being undertaken with sporting groups and sporting organisations at the grassroots level to assist them during this time?

MS BERRY: A significant amount of communication has occurred, particularly with the peak bodies within sports organisations, representing all of the various sporting groups across the ACT, from community sports clubs all the way up to elite sports. We have been—

Mr Wall: Point of order, Madam Speaker. Just to clarify, the question referred to communication outside peak bodies, not with peak bodies.


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