“Shaping Up, the Government’s White Paper on Australian sport, is critical of Government cuts to the Olympic Athlete Program and has called for increased funding of sport”, Shadow Sports Minister, Senator Kate Lundy, said today.
“For the past year, Jackie Kelly has been proclaiming that this White Paper will lead to the biggest shake-up of Australian sport in 25 years. Now she appears to be backing away from this statement in light its recommendation to increase – not decrease – Government funding.
“The review recognises ‘the success of the current sport system’ which has resulted in 20 years of continuous improvement in Olympic performances. This is the system that Labor established and I welcome the Taskforces’ acknowledgment of Labor’s proud record.
The most significant recommendation is that ‘the level of funding to high performance sport be maintained’, in part because the Government’s decision to axe the Olympic Athlete Program (OAP) ‘could severely affect Australia’s international competitiveness’.
“The loss of OAP funding is causing great anxiety among many sporting organisations and athletes. The Government’s decision to axe OAP funding is short-sighted and ill conceived as the review makes abundantly clear.
“If Australia is to continue to enjoy international sporting success then OAP funding must be continuous and consistent – not the roller-coaster funding ride we now have under the Coalition.
Labor is concerned about the recommendations to increase off-budget funding through gaming.
“Revenue from gaming is not a substitute for government investment is sport. The Government must not replace Commonwealth investment in physical activity and community wellbeing with Internet-based gaming.
Recommendations concerning the Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA) may threaten its independence and ability to operate at arm’s length from other sporting organisations.
“ASDA must be entrenched as a totally independent world-class drug-testing agency. The success of ASDA, and even the success of Olympic drug testing, is based on its independence.
The Taskforce rightly identifies Active Australia as being central to increasing physical activity and participation and has called for a doubling of their funding.
“Labor has previously called on Minister Kelly to recognise the importance of participatory-based programs by providing adequate funding, and this report has highlighted the Minister’s deficiency in this area. The Government’s history of funding cut backs, however, mean that this recommendation may never be implemented.
Labor is very concerned about the call for anti-siphoning laws to be changed in order to raise revenue.
“There are anti-siphoning laws in place to ensure that popular Australian sports are available on free-to-air television where possible. Many Australians cannot afford or cannot access Pay-TV and any shift of sports to Pay-TV would disenfranchise millions of sports fans.
“The Coalition inherited a first class sports policy from Labor, as the review points out, however some of their recommendations will not benefit the sports sector and will diminish the excellent structures currently in place.
“Minister Kelly must take heed of recommendations to increase Government sports funding to ensure our continued international success and immediately rule out the impracticable and unnecessary recommendations that will adversely affect Australian sport,” Senator Lundy said.
105/99. Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-6277 3334 or 0418 488295
