Greens MLA Johnathan Davis, spokesperson for Sport and Recreation, has said the ACT Government is failing community sport in the ACT. He is frustrated because sporting policy he introduced in early 2021 has apparently not progressed. But Yvette Berry, minister for sport and recreation, said the government would soon release a new strategic plan and had allocated $167 million for sports facilities by 2024.

In April 2021, Mr Davis secured tri-partisan support for a suite of policy commitments relating to community sport in the ACT, including a long-term strategic plan and a detailed facilities management plan. In April 2022, the ACT Government provided an update on some of the work completed to date.

In Budget Estimates on Tuesday, Mr Davis asked for an update on this yet uncompleted work, arguing that the Canberra community still awaited outcomes.

“We’re 18 months down the track, and we haven’t seen progress,” he said. “No strategic plan, no facilities management plan – nothing.”

Mr Davis called on the ACT Government to honour its commitment to the Assembly and finalise then release a long-term strategic plan and a detailed facilities management plan as soon as possible.

“While I always welcome the ACT Government making investments in community sport, I grow increasingly concerned that millions of dollars are being invested in an ad-hoc fashion based on how well some community sports organisations lobby – not on where funding is most needed.

“Community sporting organisations shouldn’t have to come cap in hand to the Government, actively competing for a finite amount of funding. Instead, the Government should aspire to a transparent and accountable process for funding, complemented by long term planning developed in deep consultation with community sport.

“All government funding should be allocated as a result of transparent and accountable processes, and it is concerning that this is not the case for our sporting facilities.”

Mr Davis’s 2021 motion called on the ACT Government to:

• Recognise a sport and recreation industry peak body. (The ACT last had a sports sector peak body in 2015, when the former ACTSPORT ceased operating.)

In April 2022, the government stated that it was not its role to fund a member-based sector advocacy group, but it was in discussions with the Coalition of Major Participation Sports.

Today, Ms Berry said: “The ACT Government is unable to formally recognise a sport and recreation industry peak body if one is not set up. During Estimates Hearings, the peak body that Mr Davis has suggested to have recognised, has not yet put together a formal constitution, financial arrangements nor affiliate list. It would be irresponsible to formally recognise an informal peak body.”

• Develop a long-term strategic plan for sport and recreation in the ACT, to replace the ‘Active 2020’ plan that expires at the end of last year.

In April 2022, the government stated that a consultant was appointed in late 2021 to lead this work; consultation had commenced, with a completion timeframe for mid-year.

Ms Berry said today that the ACT Government’s new strategic plan for sport and recreation was nearing completion. Key stakeholders will be consulted before it is finalised and presented to the government before the end of the year.

The strategic plan recognises that providing sport and recreation facilities is key to supporting participation in sport, and underpins the ACT being the most active state or territory in the country.

COVID-19 delayed the development of the new plan, as the government focused on supporting the sporting community through the immediate challenges posed by the pandemic, Ms Berry said.

• Develop a facilities management plan to care for existing facilities and meet community need with new facilities.

In April 2022, government acknowledged ageing community sporting infrastructure required maintenance, upgrade, or replacement; a sport and recreation facility ‘Road Map’ identified a list of sport and recreation infrastructure projects worth $167 million to pursue during this term of government. The Roadmap did not include the annual investment required to maintain ACT-owned sport and recreation assets.

“The roadmap details a range of projects across all regions in the ACT to deliver improvements and upgrades to existing facilities and to meet some demand for new facilities through until 2024,” Ms Berry said today.

“The ACT Government has a proven and longstanding track record of providing investment to support the ongoing maintenance and upgrade of existing sport and recreation facilities while also supporting the development of new facilities.

“The ACT Government continues to actively engage with sport and recreation groups, including peak sporting organisations, to discuss their aspirations and requirements regarding future facility requirements across the city.”

• Climate-proof our sport and recreation facilities with a particular focus on heat and smoke.

In April 2022, the government’s coming strategic plan would address this issue; much had already been done to make Canberra sport climate change ready, as a 2019 Federal report showed.

• Tackle barriers to participation in sport for disadvantaged Canberrans.

In April 2022, the government noted it had engaged ORIMA to research participation barriers for lower socioeconomic households; this would inform strategic planning.