Active 2020 - a long term strategic plan for sport and active recreation in the ACT and Region.

Active 2020 embodies three fundamental goals that are pursued by most sport and recreation organisations in the ACT:

• increase participation in competitive, non-competitive and social sport and recreation activities at all levels
• provide opportunities for achieving excellence in sporting performance; and
• ensure access to sustainable and quality infrastructure for the delivery of their activities.

Speech to launch the Strategy - Tuesday 12 April 2011

Sport and Recreation is a vital part of the ACT community. It contributes to community health and well being, social connection, and the ACT economy. In fact, the sport and recreation sector is of profound economic importance. 

The recent Economic Contribution Study (2010) undertaken by Access Economics outlined this value - $245 million in 2008-09, directly employing 2,800 people and engaging 27,000 volunteers. 

The value of this sector is significant, and in economic terms it contributes 0.6% of gross Territory product – much of which is driven by volunteer labour. 

The ACT Government is committed to the development and growth of a vibrant, diverse and dynamic sports sector – A sector that is a national leader in sporting achievement and sport science. 

As the national capital, as a city-state and as an economy, we should seize the opportunities of our community and geography. 

One critical element in this strategy is the acknowledgement that we must continue to build the sporting industry in the ACT.

Working together towards a collective vision and helping the ACT sporting community meet social and environmental challenges to the benefit of all Canberrans. 

Despite the industry’s positive economic and social impacts, our strong network of facilities and history of elite successes, there still remains scope for improvement in reaching even greater heights. 

Active 2020 is the unprecedented opportunity to do this by presenting a united front to face the challenges ahead. 

Sport and Recreation is a diverse sector – community groups, professional entities, commercial providers and Government. 

The sector does not exist in isolation though– it engages with and impacts upon so many other sectors in the community including health, education, tourism and planning. 

For instance, the value of the sector to preventive health outcomes is estimated at more than $80m per annum.  The value of the sector in terms of education is also considerable.

The importance of physical education, the value of healthy living education and of children learning good eating habits and demonstrating the benefits of an active lifestyle; these are among the great gifts of physical education and are at the forefront of the fight against childhood obesity as well as combating future chronic health issues.

These benefits are in addition to the obvious inherent features of fair play, teamwork, healthy competition and individual achievement that exist within virtually all sport and active recreation activities.

The value of the sector as a driver for tourism, and the importance of sporting infrastructure to planning outcomes, both are undeniable.

Dr Allan Hawke was recently commissioned to review the structure and operations of the ACT Public Service, and this Review has taken place in parallel with the Review of Events and Festivals in the ACT.

It is important that we align the Events and Festivals Review recommendations with the recommendations of the Hawke Review, especially as Government coordination of service delivery and structure that will improve resilience, innovation and efficiency within the ACT Government.

That is why tourism and events will be moving to the new Directorate of Economic Development and Sport and Recreation Services will also be moving into that Directorate.

There are a lot of events, in particular, major sporting events in the pipeline.

We have recently secured major events, such as the Australian Women’s Golf Tournament in 2013, the Asian Cup football finals in 2015 and from 2012, the new AFL franchise the Giants, will play four matches a year at Manuka Oval.

These matches will help develop our best young AFL players and promote Canberra wherever the team plays across Australia over the next decade.

Partnerships within and beyond the confines of the sector are so essential to meeting new challenges and maximising the potential value of sport and recreation.

That is why Active 2020 represents such a significant step for the sport and active recreation sector. Active 2020 is not just another Government strategy. It follows on from previous industry plans that were also led by the industry, and it represents the diversity of stakeholders that have been involved in its development.

The strategy takes a long term view, and is to be commended for that. It gives us a blue print for nurturing the further development of our sector and the enhancement of the sector’s many benefits.  

It outlines the desire that we all share for the Canberra community to be enhanced through sport and recreation, underpinned by priorities that address infrastructure, participation diversity and the need for greater recognition of sport and recreation’s value to health, education, community health and well being and tourism.

While not a Government strategy, it is one in which Government has been fully engaged and supportive, playing a leading role. This level of engagement acknowledges the value that the Government places on the sector and a willingness to use Active 2020 as a guiding light for continuing investment and future decision making.