MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Minister for International Development, Melissa Parke; Minister for Sport, Don Farrell; Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Matt Thistlethwaite
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Minister for International Development, the Hon Melissa Parke MP, Minister for Sport, Senator the Hon Don Farrell and Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Senator the Hon Matt Thistlethwaite, today announced 11 Australian national sporting organisations have been selected to receive funding through the second phase of the Pacific Sports Partnerships (PSP) program.
The government has granted $14 million through Australia's aid program to help Australian national sporting organisations work with their regional partners in the Pacific to deliver sport-based programs that achieve key social development objectives.
'We know sport can play an important role in helping to combat non-communicable diseases by getting people more active more often,' Minister Parke said.
Non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and chronic respiratory diseases are growing rapidly in the Pacific and cause 75 per cent of all adult deaths in the region.
'The variety of sports and proposed activities selected will benefit a broad cross-section of Pacific Island communities, including girls and women, young people and people with disability.'
The successful organisations selected to receive funding are:
- Australian Football League (Nauru and Papua New Guinea)
- Athletics Australia (Fiji)
- Badminton Australia (Tonga and Kiribati)
- Basketball Australia (Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu)
- Cricket Australia (Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa and Papua New Guinea)
- Football Federation Australia (region-wide)
- Netball Australia (Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu)
- Australian Rugby Union (Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga)
- Swimming Australia (Fiji, Tonga and Samoa)
- Table Tennis Australia (Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Kiribati)
- Australian Volleyball Federation (Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Kiribati)
The PSP has been supported by AusAID since 2010. This new phase of the PSP has been extended until 2017 and gives more organisations the opportunity to apply for funding.
'Sport plays an important part in Pacific Island communities. Australia has invested in grassroots level sport in the Pacific for a long time, and the extension of the PSP for another four years will no doubt help foster strong relationships with our Pacific neighbours,' Senator Thistlethwaite said.
The Australian Sports Commission is working with the 11 organisations to develop their programs. Their activities and funding will be finalised in September.
'Australia has long been seen as a leader in sport, at all levels. The PSP allows us to tap into Australia's vast sporting networks and resources to support grassroots level sport in the Pacific. Helping promote healthier and more inclusive communities across the region is a highly rewarding result,' Senator Farrell said.
For more information about PSP, visit www.ausport.gov.au
Media contacts:
Minister Parke's office: Rachel Maycock 0409 725 882
Minister Farrell's office: Tom Zed 0408 778 058
Parliamentary Secretary Thistlethwaite's office: Nick Moncrieff-Hill 0408 687 497