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

I invite the member opposite to ask a question if he would like to discuss funding issues further. I am more than happy to discuss our government’s intention to maintain our commitment to our athletes.

Of course, much was also achieved off the sporting field. This government is working to promote sport across Australia from the grassroots to the elite level not only every four years at the Olympics when the eyes of the world shine on sport but indeed every year, all year around. We recognise that sport is incredibly powerful in delivering healthy role models for our community, addressing obesity levels and preventable diseases, promoting social inclusion and achieving educational outcomes. The Olympic Games is a time when many stakeholders from the sporting community gather in one venue and much can be achieved through negotiation with other government representatives or other stakeholders and sporting officials. I had the opportunity whilst in China to chair a meeting of the Commonwealth sports ministers. It is with great pleasure that I can report back to the parliament on a number of very important issues that were successfully resolved at the meeting. At the Commonwealth sports ministers meeting we agreed to a communique which, amongst other issues, strengthened the resolve of governments to tackle doping in sport in our regions—something that the member opposite might think is lightweight but that we think is very important to supporting and maintaining the integrity of sport. Whilst developed nations often need to take the lead on these issues, we must remain focused on ensuring that developing nations have also got successful antidoping measures in place in order to ensure that our athletes are competing on a level playing field.

We gave our ongoing support to the work of the regional antidoping offices in Africa, the Caribbean and Oceania. We also recommended greater cooperation and information sharing amongst Commonwealth countries through the establishment of a new sports adviser position for the Commonwealth. We recognise that sport can be a mechanism for social change and economic advancement, particularly in developing countries. So this was an opportunity for us to have a look at some very successful programs across the Commonwealth such as the healthy benefits of sport in the Caribbean, the inclusive benefits of sport in India, an Australian program which is running in South Africa to increase participation rates, as well as the educational initiatives which are being progressed in the United Kingdom. It was agreed that we would work more cooperatively and share information rather than each of us reinventing the wheel on this. I also had the opportunity to meet with the British sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe. This meeting gained some coverage as a result of some other discussions which took place there. I would like to inform the House today that during that meeting we learned of—

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