Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Youth and Sport) Share this | Hansard source

I am happy to offer some further information with regard to the member for Macarthur’s questions about sporting facility funding in the budget. At the outset, I point out that we on this side of the House are tremendously proud that we have come through on our election commitments to invest in local community facilities. We know that it is very important that we increase participation rates in sport. When we look at incidences of diabetes, obesity rates and a number of preventible diseases, one of our main priorities in this portfolio area has to be on increasing participation. We also know that, in order to do that, people need access to adequate local facilities. That is one of the reasons we are tremendously proud that we have delivered upon these commitments, which were made during the election campaign and funded in the first Rudd budget.

I understand that during the Senate estimates period a couple of weeks ago there was quite a bit of debate on this issue that went round and round in circles covering similar lines. I think there was a bit of confusion on the issue, and there are a couple of reasons for that. This government is doing a couple of things here in a way that is in stark contrast to the way the previous government used to operate, particularly the way that the Regional Partnerships program operated. The first thing we are doing, which may seem a little novel to some opposite, is delivering upon all of our election commitments. There have been a number of commitments in this area. The second thing—and I think this is where the confusion arose—is that we are doing it whilst following a due process. For the benefit of all, I will run through how that process is operating and what the next steps are. All of this funding came up after local communities’ advocates or representatives made the case for new facilities or facility upgrades in different areas. The opposition at the time made election commitments. We all know that both sides of politics make a number of election commitments, and we certainly did that. Upon being elected to government, we have now followed through by making sure that those election commitments are honoured in this budget in the sports portfolio.

The next step, now that we have that funding, is that the department and I are now in the process of contacting the local community or sporting groups which will be receiving this funding so that we can work through funding agreements with them. Basically, we just want to check that the project is still on line, that it is still going ahead as it was recommended and as it was put forward to the then opposition when we made these commitments. We have all heard a number of stories, particularly through the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government in question time over recent months, about incidents where taxpayer funds were granted under the Regional Partnerships program to projects which had since collapsed or were never going to get off the ground. We are doing our due diligence, making sure that that is all in place, and looking forward to getting those funding agreements in position.

All of the commitments made both by the government and by the opposition are on the public record. In fact, I noticed there were a number of points put forward in estimates where the opposition was concerned about the nature of the seats that these projects might have been going to. Someone in my office kindly did some work and has informed me that the now opposition’s election commitments in marginal seats for sporting facilities totalled $16.5 million more than what we are delivering. We are delivering in a range of different seats and in a range of different sports. I am happy that, as a result of this funding made available by the Rudd government, the people who will directly benefit are involved in a range of sports, including hockey, swimming, soccer, netball, tennis, softball, rugby league, Aussie rules, boxing, athletics and motorsport. I look forward to working with all of these local groups to make sure that we can boost facilities and get as many Australians as possible out there and active, running and jumping, catching and throwing and doing their bit to ensure that we have a very active Australia.

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