The Board of the Confederation of Australian Sport (CAS) has welcomed the appointment of the Hon. Greg Hunt as the incoming Federal Minister for Sport.  As part of the reshuffled Malcolm Turnbull Ministry, Mr Hunt will be sworn in to assume responsibility for the Health and Sport portfolios.

CAS President Rob Bradley said he was pleased to see that Sport continues to be aligned with the Health portfolio and is represented at Cabinet level.  “Sport makes a huge contribution to the preventative health agenda and linking the two portfolios with a common Minister provides an excellent opportunity for a coordinated long term response,” Rob Bradley said.

“Conditions have not been easy for Australian sport over the past few years and CAS believes that a coordinated Sport policy with collaboration with the Health and Education sectors will derive long term benefits for the Australian community.”

Rob Bradley said: “The contribution that Australian sport makes to our nation from a health, social and economic perspective is not sufficiently recognised or rewarded at present and CAS looks forward to working closely with Minister Hunt in the future.”

With a 30 year heritage CAS continues to promote the ‘Sport for All’ message encouraging the following key elements of its platform:

• Building an effective, high quality sport system that is financially strong and self-sustainable
• Ensuring that all children have access to skills, knowledge and opportunity through the mandatory inclusion of sport and physical education in all schools throughout Australia
• Removing barriers to participation in sport and active recreation faced by sections of the Australian population including women, indigenous and multi-cultural communities.
• Maximising the potential that sport provides to reduce the currently high levels of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour through a coordinated cross-sector response with Health and Education

“This is a critical time for Australian Sport,” said Rob Bradley. “Many of the traditional advantages that Australian sport has had in the past are now gone or have been seriously eroded. We hope that the new Minister will be prepared to start rebuilding for the future.”

For further information please contact:

Rob Bradley

President and CEO – Confederation of Australian Sport

M: 0412343651  E: cas@sportforall.com.au