Annual Report 2009–2010 Australian Sports Commission Annual Report 2009–2010 © Australian Sports Commission 2010 ISSN 0186-3448 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Australian Sports Commission. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction should be addressed to [email protected]. Unless otherwise stated, all images are the property of the Australian Sports Commission. Printed by Union Offset Printers For general enquiries: Tel: (02) 6214 1111 Fax: (02) 6251 2680 Email: [email protected] Website: ausport.gov.au Senator the Hon Mark Arbib Minister for Sport, Minister for Indigenous Employment, and Economic Development, and Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear I am pleased to submit the twenty-sixth Annual Report for the Australian Sports Commission, covering the period 2009–10. The report has been prepared to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 as called for under Section 48 of the Australian Sports Commission Act 1989. The Australian Sports Commission is established in accordance with the Australian Sports Commission Act 1989. The objects, functions and powers of the Australian Sports Commission are prescribed in Sections 6, 7 and 8, respectively, of the Act. The Commissioners of the Board are responsible, under Section 9 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997, for the preparation and content of the Report of Operations in accordance with the Finance Minister’s Orders 2009-10. The Board resolved to adopt the Report of Operations as a true and concise portrayal of the year’s activities. This report assesses the Australian Sports Commission’s performance against the accountability framework agreed with the Australian Government, and highlights the success of its programs. I commend this report to you as a record of our achievements. The Hon Warwick L Smith AM Chair Australian Sports Commission Leverrier Street Bruce ACT 2617 Tel 61 2 6214 1111 PO Box 176 Belconnen ACT 2616 8 October 2010 Fax 61 2 6251 2680 ABN 67 374 695 240 ausport.gov.au Contents Letter of transmittal iii Chair and Chief Executive Offi cer’s report 1 About the Australian Sports Commission 5 Planning and accountability framework 6 Organisational structure and functions 7 2009–10 performance 11 Outcome 1 Improved participation in structured physical activity, particularly organised sport, at the community level, including through leadership and targeted community-based sports activity 12 Outcome 2 Excellence in sports performance and continued international sporting success by talented athletes and coaches, including through leadership in high performance athlete development, and targeted science and research 28 Management and accountability 43 Objects and functions of the Australian Sports Commission 44 Corporate governance 45 Financial management 54 External scrutiny 55 Human resource management 56 Communications and information management 61 | v Appendixes 67 Appendix 1 Australian Sports Commission fi nancial statements 68 Appendix 2 Australian Sports Commission grant allocations to sports, 2009–2010 117 Appendix 3 Australian sports performance highlights 120 Appendix 4 Australian Sports Foundation 129 Appendix 5 Australian Sports Commission staffi ng statistics 162 Appendix 6 Australian Sports Commission corporate partners 164 Appendix 7 Australian Institute of Sport program locations 165 Appendix 8 Contact offi cers 167 Shortened forms 168 Summary of compliance 169 Index 170 vi | Australian Sports Commission Annual Report 2009–2010 Chair and Chief Executive Offi cer’s report The 2009–10 year was again a successful one for both the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and Australian sport. It was also a pivotal year in terms of setting the direction for the future of Australian sport with the announcement in May 2010 of the government’s new strategy, Australian Sport: The Pathway to Success. This strategy built on the recommendations from the Independent Sport Panel Report released in November 2009 and included the single largest funding increase for Australian sport, committing $325 million over the next four years. The new strategy and associated funding have set the platform for implementation of vital reforms which will take Australian sport forward to new highs in performance and contribution to broader government objectives. The ASC took the opportunity afforded by the Independent Panel’s review and its own previous work on strategic re-positioning to further develop its thinking on system leadership and how to give effect to the panel’s recommendations. The organisation also continued with work to improve its capability to deliver the reforms in conjunction with its system partners. The role taken by the ASC in leading dialogue around the strategic direction of the Australian sports system and the development of Working Together for Australian Sport — a shared vision for sport — was a core contributor to the ASC re-establishing its system leadership role. This work is an important adjunct to the sport development and improvement strategies set out in Australian Sport: The Pathway to Success. It represents the philosophical underpinnings on which our approaches over the coming years will be built. Effective engagement and re-establishing more constructive relationships with national sporting organisations (NSOs) and peak bodies, such as the Australian Olympic Committee, were important outcomes realised during the year. These improved relationships are essential precursors to the collaborative partnering and system cohesion objectives that will give life to Working Together for Australian Sport. The Australian Sports Commission’s performance The ASC’s overall performance was again strong, with key performance targets met. This outcome would not have been realised without the strong commitment of ASC staff and Board members during the year, and the cooperative working relationship and support of the Department of Health and Ageing. It is particularly pertinent to note that in April 2010, Mr Greg Hartung OAM retired after 18 months as Chairman and ten years on the ASC Board. Mr Hartung made an outstanding contribution to the ASC and Australian sport over a 25-year period, and it is fortunate his future contribution to Australian sport will continue in his ongoing role as Chair of the Australian Paralympic Committee and in his work for the International Olympic Committee. The contributions of staff and the leadership of the Board have again ensured that Australian sport and the broader community continue to reap the many and diverse benefi ts of a vibrant sports system. Improved participation The Australian Government remains committed to fostering, supporting and encouraging participation in sport and active recreation from the community to high performance level. CHAIR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT | 1 At the same time, the signifi cant contributions of state and territory governments and the non- government sector to this objective are also acknowledged. The ASC’s Active After-school Communities (AASC) program continued to provide a major contribution to increasing children’s participation in sport or other structured physical activity. More than 150 000 primary school children took part in the program at 3267 sites during the year. These children were provided opportunities to participate in over 70 sports and 20 other physical activities. As well, more than 9000 new coaches were qualifi ed as a part of the program, thereby increasing the capacity for delivery of sport in local communities. Independent research confi rmed that nearly 80 per cent of parents and community coaches agreed the program is stimulating community involvement in sport. The program also continued to generate a high level of interest in participants joining a local sporting club. Sixty per cent of parents of participating children indicated their child would be interested in joining a club. This outcome is important, as it shows that the AASC program is likely to result in more sustained participation beyond the program, as well as increased support for local clubs. The ASC also continued its efforts to make participation as inclusive as possible by working with sports and government partners to ensure that people with disability, Indigenous Australians, women, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities were targeted through programs and funding to support their participation. However, despite the successes achieved both nationally and within individual jurisdictions, the evidence is that participation rates in regular physical activity and sport are not increasing signifi cantly. The Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey results highlight these trends, noting that regular participation in this context includes both activity organised through clubs and organisations as well as non-organised activity. In 2009, the number of Australians aged 15 and over who participated in regular physical activity (at least three times a week) remained the same as in 2008, at 8.2 million, but decreased as a percentage of the population, from 49.3 per cent to 47.7 per cent. In relation to participating once a week, the research identifi ed that there was a reduction from 71.5 per cent of Australians aged 15 and over participating in 2008, down to 69.5 per cent in 20091,2. The fi ve-year trend, while trending positively, highlights that the growth