Australian Sports Fear Funding Uncertainty as they Head to Paris

Weeks away from the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, the Albanese Labor Government has left our National Sporting Organisations without critical funding certainty.

Funding for Australia’s sporting organisations is due to run out in just 7 days time.

With the Government failing to provide the funding needed for the NSOs, the Australian Sports Commission has been forced to step in and prop up our sporting organisations until the end of the year.

The Department of Health and Aged Care confirmed during Senate Estimates that they are ‘acutely aware’ of NSOs concerns that they have no funding certainty into the near future.

This in creating unnecessary stress for sporting organisations at a time when athletes are already dealing with the pressure to make our country proud at the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Shadow Minister for Sport, Senator Anne Ruston questioned why the Government is delaying providing our high-performance sports with funding certainty, especially in the middle of Paris preparations.

“The Albanese Government seem to be waiting for the perfect photo opportunity, instead of prioritising the best interests of our high-performance athletes who are about to represent our country on the world stage.

“The lack of any funding announcement from the Minister of Sport is creating so much unnecessary stress as our athletes make their final preparations for Paris.

“Our sporting bodies have no certainty that they will be able to pay their coaches and essential staff past the end of the year.

“This is not the Australian spirit. In the lead up to the Olympics, we should be backing in our sporting organisations and supporting our incredible athletes as they get ready to put on the green and gold,” Senator Ruston said.

The Opposition calls on the Albanese Government to immediately announce ongoing funding certainty for Australia’s high-performance sporting bodies, so that they have the resources they need to ensure Australia remains a proud sporting nation.

Alongside any announcement, the Government must also provide certainty on the nature of the funding and whether it will be going directly to our athletes and sporting bodies, or to the Australian Sports Commission.

Our athletes must be supported to do what they do best, and that is making our country proud as they compete on the world stage.