Jane Howlett,Minister for Sport and Recreation
The Tasmanian majority Liberal Government today launched the 2020 Ticket to Play program, investing a further $1 million to support thousands of children and young people across the state to participate in sport and active recreation.
We are committed to ensuring that all Tasmanians can get involved in sport, and encourage everyone to be more physically and mentally healthy and active.
One of the biggest barriers to participation in organised sport can be cost. Ticket to Play helps to remove that barrier, and will ensure more young Tasmanians play sport and share in all its social and health benefits.
Ticket to Play is a sports voucher program designed to reduce the cost of participation in club activities for Tasmanian children.
Tasmanian children aged 5 to 17 who are listed on a Centrelink Health Care Card, a Pensioner Concession Card, or who are in Out of Home Care, are eligible for a voucher of up to $100 in value to be used towards the cost of club membership.
Playing sport when we are young is key to establishing lifelong healthy habits, and the government has a target to reduce the State's rate of obesity to at or below the national average by 2025.
Children who received a voucher in 2019, are eligible to apply for another voucher in 2020.
In 2019, 6,057 vouchers were issued to Tasmanian children to assist with club registration fees.
Vouchers in 2019 were redeemed for 32 different sports as well as Cadet, Girl Guides and Scout organisations.
Feedback from several State Sporting Organisations has indicated that Ticket to Play has significantly supported children to participate in sport when they otherwise may not have been able to do so.
Extending Ticket to Play in 2020 will continue to support increased participation rates for local clubs.
To learn more, go to the Ticket to Play website: https://www.communities.tas.gov.au/ticket-to-play
