2020–2024 Australian Sports Commission Acknowledgement of Country The Australian Sports Commission acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which it stands and pays its respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. The Australian Sports Commission recognises the outstanding contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make to sport in Australia and celebrates the power of sport to promote reconciliation and reduce inequality. From our Chair The start of 2020 has been an extraordinarily tough time for The AIS has taken enormous strides in leading a united and Australians, including all of us committed to sport. The impact of collaborative high performance sport system, highlighted by the bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic has been confronting for launch late last year of the National High Performance Sport Strategy communities, where sport plays such an important role. This was also 2024. A joint strategy endorsed by National Sporting Organisations and to be the year of the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo. the National Institute Network, with a common goal: national pride Instead, it has been postponed to 2021. and inspiration through international sporting success. At the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), comprising Sport Australia The AIS is playing a central role in the broader return to sport at and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), our energy has been focused all levels. The AIS Framework for Rebooting Sport in a COVID-19 on supporting our sector through these enormous challenges. These Environment, designed by the AIS Medical Team, has informed the challenging times are compelling the ASC to re-examine our priorities Australian Government’s principles for a return to sport and recreation. and targets, to prepare as much as possible for the transition to life In the past few years, the AIS has also enhanced support to athlete after COVID-19 and drive Australian sport into the future. wellbeing and engagement, a move that is essential, especially given Our long-term vision remains the same: to make Australia the world’s the unprecedented disruption this year. most active sporting nation, known for its integrity, sporting success The AIS funds and prepares our athletes for Olympic, Paralympic and world leading sport’s industry. It will be more important than ever and Commonwealth Games to represent us at the highest level in for the ASC to drive engagement and participation in sport, so sport can international competition. We have witnessed a great deal of positivity again play a prominent role in lifting the nation’s energy and spirits. from Olympic and Paralympic athletes who now need to re-set for Sport Australia’s Return to Sport Toolkit has been launched to help guide 2021. I’m confident, as a united sport system, we will do the same. sport at all levels, knowing too well that millions of volunteers are the driving force behind so many of our teams, clubs and associations. We will continue to support sports to build a capable, efficient, connected and sustainable sector. This means working with sports to modernise traditional governance structures in Australian sporting organisations and encouraging environments that are inclusive, John Wylie AM diverse, safe and welcoming, making sport the benchmark for a Chair Australian Sports Commission more equitable society. We will continue to advocate the importance of sport to our nation, including our economy, productivity, health, wellbeing and culture. 1 The Australian Sports Commission Board is pleased to present the ASC’s Corporate Plan 2020-24, which covers the period of 2020-21 to 2023-2024. It has been developed in accordance with the requirements under paragraph 35(1)(b) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and paragraphs 23 and 25 of the Australian Sports Commission Act 1989. This Corporate Plan has been developed to meet the requirements of the Corporate Plan and Annual Operational Plan outlined under paragraph 26 of the Australian Sports Commission Act 1989. Contents About us 4 Our focus 5 The Australian sporting environment 7 Our operating model 8 Sport Australia 8 More Australians move more often through sport 10 Building the capability of sport to create a robust, connected industry 14 Australian Institute of Sport 18 National pride and inspiration through international sporting success 22 Our capability 27 Managing our risks 30 Cooperation and partnerships 32 3 About us The Australian Sport Commission (ASC) is the Australian Government agency responsible for supporting and investing in sport. We were established in 1985 under the Australian Sports Commission Act 1989 and operate in accordance with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. The ASC is governed by a Board of Commissioners appointed by the Minister for Sport. The Board determines the ASC’s overall direction, decides on allocation of resources and policy for delegated decisions and is accountable to the Minister for Sport. The ASC comprises; Sport Australia — responsible for driving the broader sport sector including participation, supporting activities linked to sport and sport industry growth, and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) — leading our high-performance sport system. From grassroots sport right up to the pinnacle of elite international competition, we work together with the sport industry and the wider community to champion the role sport can play in engaging every Australian. Our 2020-24 Corporate Plan aligns with Sport 2030 — the Australian Government’s strategic sports plan launched in 2018 — and the National High Performance Sport Strategy. 4 Our focus Our focus is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians and build stronger communities through participation and engagement with sport. From grassroots right up to the pinnacle of elite international competition, we work together with the sport industry and the wider community to champion the role sport can play in engaging every Australian regardless of age, race, gender, cultural background and physical ability. We are delivering three key outcomes: We will deliver these outcomes through five important strategies: ƚ Driving greater engagement and participation in sport GETTING MORE AUSTRALIANS MOVING across Australia MORE OFTEN THROUGH SPORT ƚ Leading a sustainable and efficient Australian sports sector ƚ Leading and enabling a united and collaborative high- performance system that supports Australian athletes to consistently win medals at major international events BUILDING THE CAPABILITY OF SPORT TO CREATE A ROBUST, CONNECTED INDUSTRY ƚ Our high performance system being recognised as world- leading, prioritising athlete wellbeing, and athletes positively influencing the Australian community ƚ Driving a leaner more efficient organisation and building a CREATING NATIONAL PRIDE AND INSPIRATION THROUGH INTERNATIONAL SPORTING SUCCESS stronger workforce culture 5 OUR VISION: Australia is the world’s most active sporting nation, known for its integrity, sporting success and world-leading sports industry. OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES Leading and enabling a Our high performance united and collaborative system is recognised as Drive greater engagement Lead a sustainable and high-performance system world-leading, prioritising and participation in efficient Australian that supports Australian wellbeing, with athletes sport across Australia sports sector athletes to consistently positively influencing the win medals at major Australian community international events Driving a leaner and more efficient organisation and building a strong workforce culture BUILDING THE CAPABILITY NATIONAL PRIDE AND INSPIRATION MORE AUSTRALIANS MOVE MORE OF SPORT TO CREATE A ROBUST, THROUGH INTERNATIONAL OFTEN THROUGH SPORT CONNECTED INDUSTRY SPORTING SUCCESS 6 The Australian sporting environment These are unprecedented times for the world in our lifetimes and the consequences of COVID-19 on sport are, and will continue to be, profound. Global and domestic professional competitions were paused or cancelled, while Australian community sport, a lifeblood of Australian physical activity and culture, was on hold. Only World Wars I and II have seen the modern Olympics cancelled, but the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics scheduled for late 2020 have been postponed until 2021. Australian sport has been in a hibernation phase and both Sport Australia and the AIS have been intent on doing everything we can to support sport through this immensely challenging period, but also to prepare for its full return. We believe sport will play a prominent role in lifting the nation’s energies and spirits again. ‘The AIS Framework for Rebooting Sport in a COVID-19 Environment’ was central to the Australian Government’s National Principles for the Resumption of Sport and Recreation. Sport Australia has complemented that with the Return to Sport Toolkit and material for community sport. On the international stage, competition is continually intensifying and improving. The postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games means we are optimising all our resources to maximise outcomes for next year. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant challenges to the sport sector and international sport more broadly. The AIS remains confident that a united high performance system has the expertise and capacity to emerge from this crisis, continue to re-build and deliver international sporting success. 7 Our operating model SPORT AUSTRALIA Our purpose Sport Australia will