It’s hard to believe we are nearly halfway through 2012. The month of May of course means it is Budget season. In a tough economic climate, it was important to note the Australian Government’s continued commitment to sport.  

Federal Sports Minister Senator the Hon Kate Lundy announced that the Australian Government continues to invest in the future of sport in Australia by providing funding to boost community participation and help our elite athletes reach their full potential. Read the full Ministerial statement. 

From the Australian Sports Commission’s perspective it was particularly welcome news that the Active After-school Communities (AASC) program will continue throughout 2013, with $39.2 million in new funding for the program.

We remain passionate about getting more children out of the lounge rooms and onto sporting fields—recognising the benefits of physical activity for the healthy growth and development of our kids. We will continue to emphasise the link between the AASC and sport.

Australia’s elite athletes also benefit from the Australian Government’s commitment to high performance sport with approximately $170 million in the Budget to ensure that Australia can continue to pursue sporting excellence. This investment, together with State and Territory Governments’ investment, is critical to Australia’s international sporting success.

This month I was fortunate to be able to visit the Australian Institute of Sport’s (AIS) European Training Centre (ETC) in Northern Italy. The ETC is proving to be instrumental as a preparation venue for Australian athletes and teams for the London Games. It’s a credit to those who made (and are making) it happen and certainly an innovative approach to keeping us ahead of our competitors. The facility will be at full capacity in the lead up to the Games. I welcome your continued feedback about the AIS ETC.

In other news, the Prime Minister’s Olympic and Paralympic Challenges began on 28 May. The Challenges are a great initiative aimed at getting more  Australian children active by trying Olympic sports, while allowing them to have fun and earn rewards along the way.  I encourage you to register or find out more information by visiting www.olympicchallenge.gov.au or www.paralympicchallenge.gov.au.