Australian Test Cricket Captain Pat Cummins and a host of Australian athletes are calling on the Federal Government to stump up $100 million in funding for 1000 community sports clubs to shift to clean energy and all-weather upgrades, with the launch of the Sport Forever campaign at Parliament House in Canberra today.
14 million Australians use community sport facilities, yet 66% of Australia's community sport clubs are struggling to make ends meet. The Sport Forever campaign seeks $100 million over five years to protect clubs of all codes from the combined threats of rising costs and climate change putting clubs, and the games Australians love to play, at risk.
Cricket for Climate Founder and Australian test cricket captain, Pat Cummins says: "Local clubs are where it all starts. It's where kids fall in love with the game and communities like the one I grew up in come together. If we don't look after them, we lose more than just sport. This is about giving clubs a fair go so they can keep the lights on, keep people playing and be part of the shift to cleaner, cheaper energy."
Sport at all levels is affected by climate change. The $100 million investment over five years will fund solar and battery systems and EV charging stations, helping community clubs reduce emissions and save on energy bills. Importantly, it will also fund improved water drainage, critical in the wake of recent rains in NSW and QLD where waterlogged grounds are cancelling weekends of sport, and disrupting tournaments. With extreme weather increasingly making day-time play unsafe, it will also be used for shade solutions to protect players and spectators, lighting upgrades to create the flexibility for clubs to train and play at cooler times of day.
Cricket for Climate, the non-profit organisation founded by Pat Cummins, is leading the Sport Forever push on behalf of community sport across the country. Its CEO, Joanne Bowen, says: "Sports clubs are where people find belonging, whether you're five or fifty, that's where you connect, stay active and make lifelong friends".
"Right now, too many clubs are under pressure. Sport Forever is about giving them a hand so they can keep running, save money on bills, and make sure extreme weather doesn't shut them down. When people see those changes happening at their local club, they get behind it too."
Joining Pat Cummins and Joanne Bowen at the Sport Forever launch are a number of leading athletes. Among them is Nicola Barr, St Kilda Saints player and the first-ever AFLW number-one draft pick.
"I have clear memories of training during the Black Summer bushfires as ash fell from the sky, and the deep concern I felt for the safety of my community, and our future," says Barr.
"Speaking to team-mates and other athletes, there's an increasing feeling we need greater action to ensure kids and future generations have the same opportunities to fall in love with sport that we all did. Initiatives like Sport Forever have a huge role to play in ensuring Australian sport continues to thrive."
Sport Forever calls on the Federal Government to invest in 1,000 clubs as the starting point for a national effort, creating local success stories that cut costs, keep communities connected and show the way for thousands more clubs to follow.
