The Lawler Labor Government has announced continued support for sporting programs across the Northern Territory with the launch of the second round of the $6 million Sports Vouchers Scheme. This initiative aims to ease the financial burden on families by subsidizing the cost of sports, recreation, and cultural activities for children from transition through Year 12 in urban schools.

The Sports Vouchers Scheme, which offers a $100 subsidy per child, is designed to make sports more accessible to Territory families. For children under five or those who have just turned five but are not yet enrolled in transition or primary school, two $100 Learn to Swim Vouchers are available each year. Since the program’s inception in July 2023, over 35,000 sports vouchers and more than 5,000 Learn to Swim vouchers have been issued to support children’s participation in these activities.

In addition to the voucher scheme, the Government is investing $675,000 into seven sporting organizations to foster community engagement and expand sports opportunities throughout the Territory. The funding will support a range of programs, including:

  • Alice Springs Town Council: $150,000 for developing and delivering sports programs in Alice Springs and nearby communities.
  • Paralympics Australia: $150,000 to create a partnership focused on athlete identification and development pathways.
  • Football NT: $100,000 for advancing football development and creating pathways in regional and remote areas including Alice Springs, Katherine, and Darwin.
  • Northern Territory Major Events (Athletics NT): $100,000 to support a bid for the 2026 Oceanic Athletics Area Championships.
  • University of Western Australia: $75,000 for a two-year physical literacy program across schools in the Big Rivers, East Arnhem, Barkly, and Top End regions.
  • Netball NT: $50,000 to enhance opportunities for young Indigenous netball players in regional and remote areas.
  • Royal Lifesaving NT: $50,000 to review and improve the Swimming Pools in Remote Areas of the Northern Territory.

These investments align with the NT Sport and Active Recreation Strategic Plan: 2021-25, which aims to increase sports participation and active recreation throughout the Territory, particularly at the grassroots level.

Minister for Sport, Kate Worden, emphasised the broader impacts of such investments: “Investment in sport and recreation is about so much more than funding a game or the infrastructure behind it, it’s about investing in the players and the people too. Sport has an incredible ability to bring communities together and make a positive impact on people’s health and wellbeing, long after the final whistle has blown.”

Football NT CEO, Bruce Stalder, also noted the significance of the grants: “The NT Government grants that Football NT has received over the years have ensured the game has continued to have a significant role in the community. The current grant is enabling us to deliver a variety of activities from hosting the NT Women’s Challenge Cup semi-final to supporting the Timorese community and raising awareness for important causes.”

These initiatives reflect the Government’s ongoing commitment to fostering a vibrant sports culture and ensuring that all children in the Territory have the opportunity to engage in sports and recreational activities.

Courtesy: https://createsend.com/t/t-A6C081389EF31FC32540EF23F30FEDED

Media release: 15 July 2024