New Expert Panel Charged With Delivering The Future Of Sport In South Australia
The South Australian Government has elected an expert panel of experienced businessmen and women to plan the future of the state’s sport.
Chaired by Port Adelaide Football Club board member Amanda Vanstone, the Game On panel have been selected because of their experience in sport and recreation, as well as their understanding of local government, small business and technology.
The panel will be tasked with identifying some of the key challenges for sport in South Australia, such as funding opportunities, increasing participation and investigate how sport can, and is, evolving and what the future holds for sports clubs, including those in regional communities.
Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Corey Wingard, said that after 16 years of neglect, South Australian sport was finally being given the management, planning, and facilities it needed to thrive on the national stage.
“Sport plays an extremely important role in bettering the lives of South Australians through increased physical and mental health and it is important we have the right people to guide us in the right direction.”
“The high-level advice of the experts on the panel will be invaluable, the state sports plan will provide the infrastructure roadmap we need to guide us, and initiatives such as the Grassroots Football, Netball Cricket Program will help build those facilities.”
This will include emerging areas such as para-sport and how to get the most from the South Australian Sports Institute and virtual reality technology.
The panel includes Amanda Vanstone –Port Adelaide Football Club Board Member, Paul Di Iulio – Chief Executive Officer, Campbelltown City Council, Timothy Olds – Professor, Alliance for Research in Exercise Nutrition and Activity at Sansom Institute, Mark Bickley – FIVEaa, Leeanne Grantham – Commonwealth Games Australia Board Member, Kylie Taylor – Chief Executive, Office of Recreation Sport and Racing and Anton Andreacchio – Founder & Managing Director at Convergen and Jumpgate VR.
The formation of the high-level panel comes at a time when the Marshall Government is already undertaking a number of significant projects within sport, recreation and racing including:
– The State Sports Infrastructure Plan
– $10 million roof for new ATP/WTA tournament at Memorial Drive
– Review of current grants at the office for recreation, sport and racing
– Feasibility assessment of a South Australian Commonwealth Games
– A funding and governance reform package for the racing industry
– Unlocking $24 million for grassroots sporting facilities
Game On Chair Amanda Vanstone said she was excited about playing an important role in determining the state’s future sporting direction.
“South Australia has a rich sporting tradition and I am looking forward to ensuring that continues,” Ms Vanstone said.
“The panel will establish a collaborative approach to identifying emerging trends, technologies and issues impacting on the future of sport and recreation in South Australia.”
The objectives of Game On are to:
- Provide vision and direction for South Australia’s Sport and Recreation Industry
- Identify future opportunities for economic growth within the industry
- Enhance social capital and capability for world-class facilities and events
- Increase stakeholder understanding and engagement with emerging issues
- Develop a common platform for strategic and sector planning
- Better inform government agencies on how sport and recreation can contribute to the whole of government objectives
