23 May 2019

Jacquie Petrusma

2019-20 Budget: Investing in a healthy Tasmania

The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to being the healthiest state in Australia by 2025 which is why we are investing in key areas in the 2019-2020 State Budget to help see that vision become a reality.

Playing sport is key to establishing lifelong healthy habits and has a range of benefits, ranging from improving physical and mental health, to fostering social skills and developing teamwork and leadership skills.

In 2019-20 alone, over $28 million will be invested in initiatives that will boost participation and improve sport and recreation facilities and programs so as to grow the number of Tasmanians involved in sport. Our investments in sport this year have a particular focus on boosting participation by women and girls, people with disability, children and young people, and those who face the biggest barriers to participation.

Importantly, our commitments include an additional $1 million in 2019-20 for our Ticket to Play Program – the first sports voucher system in Tasmania for children and young people who are listed on a valid Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card.

To further assist people experiencing significant disadvantage, we are also supporting the work of RecLink Australia, in implementing the Reclink Program in George Town, Risdon Vale, Glenorchy and Brighton with funding of $286,000 allocated over two years. This program delivers sport and recreation opportunities that will transform the lives of vulnerable people.

A further $400,000 over four years will be provided to Hockey Tasmania to assist participation in the new elite domestic league, Hockey One, and $240,000 funding per annum for Cricket Tasmania to support high performance and pathways for women in cricket. In addition, $200,000 will be provided to support hosting the Big Bash League and Women’s Big Bash League matches in the North and North-West in 2019-20.

The budget also contains:

• New funding of $250,000 to the Sporting Competitions Access Fund, for dedicated funding support for athletes with a disability to access sporting events that enhance their quality of life.
• The Elphin Sports Centre will receive a new roof through $400,000 for a new roof.
• $200,000 to assist the NFSRA with maintenance for their Moonah and Clarence Sports Centres.
• $195,000 over three years to provide administrative support to the Football Tasmania Board, which has the objective of growing grassroots football in the state and to forge a pathway to a Tasmanian AFL and AFLW team.

A state-wide Strategy for Sport and Recreation Facilities will also be developed so as to inform future sport and recreation facility investment decisions, with the aim of increasing the opportunity for all Tasmanians to engage in physical activity.

All these initiatives will help provide even more opportunities for all Tasmanians to be active and enjoy participation in sport and recreation right around Tasmania.