State Budget 2011-12: Sipporting our Community - Budget announcement to provide a fair go for all, Waldron
Author: Terry Waldron
Published on: 23-May-2011
Young people will be the big winners in a $20million boost to community sport and recreation during the next four years.
‘Sport for All’ is a world leading project that will offer tens of thousands of young Western Australians who might not otherwise be able to afford it, the chance to join a sports club.
“In simple terms, we will pay the club fees for thousands of kids who might otherwise miss out,” Sport and Recreation Minister Terry Waldron said.
“We believe in prevention not cure; we believe this project is a cost effective investment in our children’s future. Children who are more physically active do better at school. Young people who are active are physically and mentally healthier.”
The ‘Sport for All’ package will also provide significant funds to increase the capacity of community clubs to deal with the increased numbers of members that will flow from this initiative.
Funding will help create and sustain a new generation of community volunteers. More resources will also target a program called ClubTalk, which will work to help clubs use communication technology and social media to more cost effectively manage their organisations.
The final element of the package is $2million to support Nature Play WA - a not-for-profit organisation established by the Department of Sport and Recreation to encourage parents to get their children outside and into unstructured play.
“This generation of children is the generation that spends more time inside than any other generation in history,” Mr Waldron said.
“We are running an unprecedented experiment and the results coming in are not good.
“If you spend five hours a day in front of a screen you are not moving. We all know the results of sedentary behaviour.
“Children need to be outside; they need to be given the freedom to make decisions, to take risks, to make mistakes. This is the sort of upbringing that has forged the Australian character.
“This upbringing has helped Australia punch above its weight in areas as diverse as arts, business and of course sport, and must be retained.”
