About us
Background
The sport and recreation industry, from service deliverers to government decision-makers, need access to high quality information about the latest trends and issues in Australias sport and active recreation industry so that it can support successful decision-making and set future directions.
A sub-committee of the Standing Committee on Recreation and Sport, an offshoot of the Sport and Recreation Ministers Council, provides a coordinated and collaborative approach to national sport and recreation data collection and analysis, known as the SCORS Research Group (SRG).
Objective
The SRGs role is to improve the range and quality of information about sport and recreation including data and research on physical activity trends, sport and recreation participation, economic impacts and social benefits. This information should provide a basis for informed decision-making by industry and governments in the development, implementation and evaluation of policies and programs.
Membership
The SCORS Research Group (SRG) consists of representatives from each of the following:
- State and territory government agencies responsible for sport and recreation
- Australian Sports Commission
- Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing
SRG acknowledges the contribution that can be made to its operations by key representatives of industry groups, data collection agencies and eminent researchers. These groups or individuals will be consulted with and/or invited to meetings on an as needs basis.
Roles
- Provide advice and regular reports to SCORS on sport and recreation statistics, research and priorities.
- Ensure easy access to statistics and research, release publications, and provide information online.
- Advise governments and industry on the availability and use of data for advocacy, policy development, and program implementation and review.
- Encourage co-ordination and collaboration of research work related to sport and recreation, through information sharing and partnerships with key stakeholders.
- Foster and commission research into quantitative and qualitative social and economic impacts/benefits of sport, recreation and physical activity by:
- fostering partnerships to facilitate strategic research;
- engaging in think tanks or other forums which have a shared objective to increase community physical activity levels;
- acting as a clearing house to facilitate member access to information and programs developed by national and international organisations and ensure research is not initiated in areas where other bodies are already active; and
- establishing partnerships between states/territories on key research areas.
Current priorities
The SRG has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian Bureau of Statistics, through the National Centre for Culture and Recreation Statistics, to provide information on:
- Childrens and adults participation in sport and recreation;
- Barriers and motivators to participation;
- Attendance at sporting events;
- Involvement in organised sport;
- Economic impacts / contribution to GDP through sport;
- Volunteer (coaches, officials, administrators) involvement in sport; and
- Indigenous sports participation.
The Sport and Recreation Ministers' Council (SRMC) provides a forum for co-operation and co-ordination between the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments on matters relating to the development of sport and recreation in Australia and, more recently, in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. SRMC is comprised of Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers with responsibility for sport and recreation.
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