Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt today encouraged local sporting groups to participate in a junior sports survey conducted by the Department of Communities (Sport and Recreation Services) before 7 July 2009.
Mr Pitt said that working closely with sporting groups in the Far North to move towards more innovative and cost-saving ways to operate junior sport in the region was one of his priorities at the last election.
“We need to look at ways to keep the costs of junior sport down to support families, particularly given the increased financial stresses and demands upon household budgets,” Mr Pitt said.
“We need people at the grassroots level of sport to do the survey to provide us with information which will be used to help junior sport become even more accessible to families.
“Preventative health is by far the best way to take pressure off our health system and living a healthy and active lifestyle benefits the whole community.
“As part of the Bligh Government’s Toward Q2: Tomorrow’s Queensland, we want to make Queenslanders Australia’s healthiest people. By taking a few minutes to complete the survey, sporting clubs will be helping us help junior sport.”
Mr Pitt met with athletics coach Kathy Bortolanza and her daughter Brianna from the Mulgrave Little Athletics Club, who will be completing the survey.
“I’m pleased to support anything that will encourage more people to lead active and healthy lifestyles, and I’d encourage as many local sporting clubs as possible to have their say through this survey,” Mrs Bortolanza said.
“This information will assist the State Government and the sport and recreation industry to come up with new ideas so more children and young people can participate in affordable sporting activities.
“When your children compete at the elite level, they have to travel away in order to compete, plus there’s registration fees, uniforms, shoes for various disciplines – it all adds up.
Mr Pitt acknowledged that the cost of involvement by children and youth in organised junior sport can be expensive.
“The Bligh Government is working with the sport and recreation industry to examine ways to reduce the costs for parents and carers whose children play, or wish to play, junior sport,” Mr Pitt said.
“The issue will also be a canvassed at the Q150 Community Sport Symposium to be held in Brisbane on 13 July 2009.
“It’s important that we don’t forget those parents and carers who generously give of their time to coach and manage teams, as well as others who work behind the scenes – running canteens, coordinating working bees and fundraising.
“It is my hope that the contribution by the army of volunteers is recognised through the survey, as well as at the symposium.
Surveys are available online at www.sportrec.qld.gov.au or by contacting the Mulgrave Electorate Office on 4056 3175 or by email mulgrave@parliament.qld.gov.au.
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