More than $1.7 billion has been allocated for sporting ventures in the federal government’s 2024/25 Budget with a home Olympics the main beneficiary, writes senior correspondent Mike Osborne.
There was no last-minute federal Budget boost for Australia’s athletes heading to the Paris Olympics in July, with the Government’s focus squarely on the future and the Brisbane 2032 Games.
Paris-bound medal hopefuls must make do with the $20 million handed out last year while almost $1.5 billion was included in this year’s Budget for the Brisbane Olympics.
More than $200 million has also been allocated for non-Olympic sporting measures.
The two Olympic projects funded in this federal Budget are an upgrade to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra and infrastructure improvements in south-east Queensland where the 2032 Games will be staged.
The AIS will get $249.7 million over the next three years via the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) to modernise and upgrade facilities – including a high-performance training and testing centre, a multi-sport indoor dome and para-accessible accommodation.
ASC chief executive and Olympic swimming champion Kieren Perkins said the funding for world-class training facilities was a game changer for athletes ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“The AIS has been the home of sport in Australia for over 42 years and continues to be critical to the success of the athletes and sports we love,” Perkins said.
Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President Ian Chesterman said the funding for modern, fit-for-purpose facilities was a key part of producing world-class athletes who inspire Australians to participate in sport and help create healthier communities.
“This decision has an eye to the future and the great opportunity that Brisbane 2032 presents to Australian sport and the Australian community more broadly,” he said.
Chesterman, who used the recent AOC annual meeting to thank the federal government for the $20 million funding to Olympic sports in last year’s budget, said Paris was currently the main focus.
“…(But) we are also committed to achieving a great legacy for Australian sport in the time beyond Paris – with Los Angeles in 2028, a wonderful home Games in 2032 and for decades to come,” he said.
The government’s other big budget Olympic spend is $1.2 billion to help Queensland complete a critical Brisbane-Sunshine Coast rail link by 2032.
While the enhanced rail connectivity will reduce trip times and road conjestion between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, the new line will only reach the southern Sunny Coast village of Caloundra by 2032.
That means it will fall short of Kawana, Alexandra Headland and Maroochydore where the closest Sunshine Coast Olympic venues and a satellite athletes’ village are planned.
Other sporting measures in the federal Budget include more than $97 million over two years for the ASC to extend Sporting Schools, the Local Sporting Champions, and Local Para Champions programs, and participation funding to help more Australians get active.
Another $93.8 million will be allocated to safeguard the integrity of Australian sport over the next five years, plus $10 million will be spent to develop a master plan for the Bruce suburban precinct around the AIS.
The 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney will get $6.0 million in funding; $1.3 million will go to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame to continue induction, scholarship and mentoring programs; and the government announced the men’s 2027 Rugby World Cup and women’s 2029 Rugby World Cup will be exempt from tax.
Michael Osborne has been a journalist for more than four decades including 35 years with the national news agency Australian Associated Press, rising from junior reporter to Editor.
He was AAP Editor for 11 years and served four years as Head of Sport and Racing. He was also posted to London and Beijing as AAP’s Bureau Chief and Foreign Correspondent.
He has worked at six Olympics and five Commonwealth Games, covered tennis grand slams, golf majors, international cricket, rugby world cups and numerous sporting world championships. He also co-ordinated and managed AAP’s teams and coverage at three Olympic Games in Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
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