PM Transcripts

The Federal Government will invest an additional $161.6 million into Australian sport over the next four years under a comprehensive plan to boost participation in sport at the grass roots level and back the ability of our sporting achievers.
Backing Australia';s Sporting Ability is a sports policy for all Australians.
It is a practical plan to ensure Australia';s outstanding record of sporting achievement is maintained and that a new generation of Australians is given even greater opportunities to participate and improve themselves through involvement in sport.
The success of Australian athletes at the Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games, along with the triumphs of Australian sporting teams in world competition, has been an inspiration to the nation.
The injection of an additional $161.6 million into Australian sport over the next four years will bring the Government';s total sports funding to a record $547 million.
The extra funds will ensure Australian athletes have the support they need to compete successfully at Olympic and Paralympic level, at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 and Melbourne in 2006, and in international championships.
To boost participation in sport at a grass roots level an additional $32 million will be invested in sporting programmes at local level through A More Active Australia.
It means total funding for A More Active Australia rises to $82 million over the next four years. It will encourage more people into sporting activity through partnerships between sporting organisations, schools, business and local communities established to achieve greater numbers of participants at the grass roots level.
Our aim is to see more sport played, particularly by school aged children and in rural areas, where sporting groups are often a vital factor in the cohesion of local communities.
Backing Australia';s Sporting Ability also includes a commitment to excellence in sports management and a renewed commitment to our fight against drugs and doping cheats in sport.