Minister for Sport and Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development Mark Arbib visited participants of the Goolagong National Development Camp earlier this week at Rod Laver arena, the home of the Australian Open.

Senator Arbib said the 15 participants of the Camp had come from across Australia to take part in this fantastic opportunity to be coached by one of Australia’s most successful tennis players.

'The Camp provides elite Indigenous tennis players aged 10 to 21 the opportunity to practise their skills and learn from tennis legend Evonne Goolagong-Cawley,' Senator Arbib said.

'The participants will develop leadership and planning skills while they experience a taste of the physical, mental and emotion conditions of being a professional tennis player.

'The Camp and the opportunities it presents are a result of an ongoing partnership between the Indigenous Sport Foundation, the Australian Government, Tennis Australia, the Australian Open and the Victorian Institute of Sport.'

Senator Arbib said the Australian Government was committed to supporting Indigenous sporting programs and had provided $80,000 toward the 2011 Camp through the $10.4 million Indigenous Sport and Recreation Program.

'The Indigenous Sport and Recreation Program is funding 107 Indigenous sport projects, providing sport and physical activity opportunities for Indigenous kids all around Australia,' Senator Arbib said.

'Sport has an important role to play in closing the gap in education and health outcomes for Indigenous Australians as well as providing fantastic role models like Evonne Goolagong-Cawley who show that through hard work you can realise your full potential.'

Senator Arbib said that in addition to supporting the Goolagong National Development Camp the Australian Government is working to increase participation in Australian tennis through a funding injection of $750,000 a year over the next four years.

'Through this funding, Australian kids will have another incentive to get off the couch and out on the tennis courts.  Hopefully we will find Australia’s next Evonne Goolagong.'

The participation funding is part of the Australian Government’s record investment of $11 million per year in new participation funding through its vision for sport outlined in Australian Sport: The Pathway to Success.

'The new investment is the single biggest injection in sports participation funding to sporting organisations in Australia’s history and will support the development of many more valuable participation programs like this one,' Senator Arbib said.