The Hon Rod Kemp was Minister for the Arts and Sport from Friday 23 November 2001 to Tuesday 30 January 2007. This site is available for archival purposes only.

ENHANCED COMMITMENT TO AUSTRALIAN SPORT

The Coalition's strong record of supporting elite and community sport will be further enhanced by a number of significant measures in the Coalition's sport policy announced today by the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp.

A re-elected Coalition Government will:

• expand our Tough on Drugs in Sport policy, including ensuring we adopt latest testing technologies, increase anti-doping research, expand education and enhance investigation arrangements ($13.3 million);
• fund a range of Paralympic sport initiatives ($8 million);
• support the development and implementation of national water and snow safety initiatives, including Surf Lifesaving, Royal Lifesaving, Austswim and Australian Ski Patrol programmes ($6 million);
• implement high priority projects, including those identified in the revised National Water Safety Plan, which will be released later this year, to deliver targeted innovative water safety campaigns to reduce drowning in high risk groups, particularly the 0-5 age group and young adult males ($4 million);
• provide Direct Athlete Support for our athletes preparing for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, on the basis of a matching contribution from the Australian Commonwealth Games Association ($6.8 million); and
• provide further support for participation by the Australian team in the 2005 Melbourne Deaflympics ($400,000).

Already this year, the Coalition has announced a number of major sporting initiatives. In June, the Coalition announced Building a Healthy, Active Australia, a package of measures to improve the health and activity of our children. These measures include a $90 million after hours physical activity program in schools.

In the 2004-05 Budget, the Coalition announced that it would provide up to $273 million to ensure Australia stages a successful Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006.

A re-elected Coalition Government will also continue its commitment of $65 million to the major upgrade of the Australian Institute of Sport facilities in the Australian Capital Territory.

The Coalition will continue to keep our sporting nation strong and provide record levels of funding for sport.

MELBOURNE
5 October 2004

---

Media contact: Adrian Chippindale, 02 6277 7350 or 0407 208 743