I have talked before about the importance of building a more cohesive Australian sports system and my view that this is one of the most fundamental issues we must tackle as a part of improving system effectiveness and sustainability.

Many of you will also be familiar with my proposition that we have relatively strong alignment “horizontally” in our system, with National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) to the Australian Government and State Sporting Organisations (SSOs) to State and Territory governments. The problem I see is that we continue to operate in parallel universes with too little recognition of the importance of joining them up. We often seem to be content to work with our “horizontal” partners and not to place much value on others' needs and views.

I have seen and heard first-hand about examples of the sub-optimality and dis-function that too often flows from the lack of a truly joined-up and aligned Australian sports system. I have listened to the defensive arguments that attempt to justify why this dis-function continues to occur.

Here is one of the greatest opportunities to improve Australian sport. We must all commit to tackle this issue with a new focus and renewed energy.

A good place to start would be to properly recognise the centrality of NSO strategic sports plans to informing what happens in a sport at all levels. It is simply unhelpful if NSO plans do not enjoy support from all system partners for that sport. What comes with that position and support is an expectation that the NSO will lead the sport appropriately and engage effectively with their system partners in developing and implementing the national and local plans. 

One of the most urgent areas for more effective engagement is between NSOs and the State and Territory Departments of Sport and Recreation (SDSRs). These relationships are at best weak and often non-existent. Given the important contribution that SDSRs make and the strength of their working relationships with SSOs, there is great potential for investment in this space to realise strong returns.

We at the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) also understand the importance of our leadership and support role in facilitating a more cohesive Australian sports system. Over coming months we will be engaging with you as we develop new ways of strengthening the cohesiveness of the Australian sports system. This work will complement other initiatives flowing from the Australian Government’s “Pathway to Success” strategy and the earlier reform work led by ASC - “Working together for Australian sport”.

New funding allocations process

It is pleasing to report that good progress is being made in developing options for the ASC Board to consider initially in relation to new high performance funding allocations. I am also very pleased to report that the strong cooperation between the ASC and State and Territory governments in these deliberations.

A very challenging timeline has been set in order to give sports as early notification as possible having embraced a more collaborative approach to deliberations that has historically been the case. Indicative allocations for additional high performance funding are expected to be determined in the first quarter of 2010/11.

Understandably some sports have been disappointed at not being identified as one of the twenty-four higher priority sports most likely to be considered for additional high performance funding up to 2012. The ASC understands it needs to work closely with both the sports who are recipients of additional funding and those who do not receive new funding on this occasion. It will be important to support the latter group so they can become competitive in future funding allocation considerations.

The ASC's new Sports Development Division will continue to work with the States and Territories on finalising the deliberations and will work with sports to support them as a part of this process and beyond.

Until next time
Matt Miller