The new Shadow Minister for Sport and Youth Affairs, Senator Kate Lundy, today fired a broadside at the Federal Government’s commitment to sport by revealing that facilities at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) are in a shocking state of disrepair.
The AIS is in urgent need of funding from the Government because the athletics track is buckling and other facilities such as the swimming pool require urgent repairs, Senator Lundy said.
Earlier this year the Australian Sports Commission asked the Government for immediate funding of $1 million to restore their ageing facilities so that our elite athletes could have a safe and proper training environment. The Department of Finance rejected this request outright.
The situation has deteriorated to a point where our Olympic teams’ preparations and our sporting reputation are now under serious threat. There have already been injuries occur at athletic events at the AIS as a result of the track falling apart.
It is ludicrous that two years out from the Olympics the AIS is being neglected by the Howard Government.
Senator Lundy has called on the new Minister for Sport to rectify this situation immediately by arranging for the necessary funds to repair the AIS facilities. The AIS is a world class facility that Australians are proud of. The Government has a responsibility to keep it in tip-top condition.
Contact: Simon Tatz on 02 62300 411 or 0418 488 295
