National Sport Participation Strategy Project Steering Group announced

The Australian Sports Commission has announced a 17-member Project Steering Group to guide and support the development of Australia’s first sector codesigned National Sport Participation Strategy.

The members represent a diverse cross section of Australia, bringing a wide range of lived and professional experience from national sporting organisations, government, community organisations and research.

The National Sport Participation Strategy aims to transform the way participation is connected, delivered and supported across the country and follows the launch of Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy.

Water Polo Australia CEO Richard McInnes has been selected as part of the group that will provide ideas, critical thinking and advice to support the development of the strategy and met for the first time this week.

“Sport in general is such a vital element of Australian society, it is imperative, that the strategy and decisions we make in the next 12 to 24 months, ensure the Australian sporting sector is set up with the required capacity and capability to ensure there is far more than a bricks and mortar legacy from the 2032 Olympic Games,” McInnes said.

“I hope this strategy maps out a course that ensures the sporting sector has the capacity and capability, to ensure people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can access and achieve the multitude of benefits that sport offers.

“This needs to be in place well before the 2032 Olympic Games, so that the Games themselves, become a celebration of sport and can amplify the participation into the next decade,” he said.

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) is represented on the group by CEO Kieren Perkins OAM.

Almost 200 submissions were received to join the Project Steering Group and all those who applied will be invited to take part in consultation and engagement opportunities throughout the development of the strategy.

To stay up to date on the strategy work visit https://www.ausport.gov.au/national-sport-participation-strategy-2032

National Sport Participation Strategy Project Steering Group:

• Pierre Comis, CEO Special Olympics Australia
• Jacara Egan, First Nations Wellbeing and Healing, Headspace / AFLW coach
• Courtney Fewquandie, General Manager First Nations Football Australia
• Matt Fulton, CEO SportWest
• Dr Phil Hamdorf, Chair Disability Sport Australia / Chair Skate Australia
• Assmaah Helal, Head of Operations, Creating Chances
• Stuart Hodge, CEO Sport NSW
• Priya Khanna, Strategy Manager Golf Australia
• Cathy Kiss AM, Community Recreation and Aquatics Planning Manager, City of Melbourne
• Meghan Mayman, General Manager Regional Sport Victoria
• Shaun McEachin, National Lead Sport Development, Squash Australia
• Richard McInnes, CEO Water Polo Australia
• Sunil Menon, Head of Community, Melbourne City Football Club
• Kieren Perkins OAM, CEO ASC
• Professor Tracy Taylor, Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation, RMIT University
• Maia Tua-Davidson, National Manager Welcoming Clubs, Welcoming Australia
• Michael Walker, Principal Advisor Universal Design, Victorian Health Building Authority / Paralympian