The ASC launched AusPlay, a new national population tracking survey, in November 2015. As at 30 June 2016, contractor ORC International had completed more than 18,200 surveys. AusPlay will fill a major gap in national sport and physical recreation data by providing annual data on sport participation to inform investment, policy and sport delivery. AusPlay is the first national survey in Australia that collects adult and children’s sport and physical recreation participation data from the same household using both landline and mobile telephone interviews. The first public reports from the survey will be published in November 2016.

ASC CEO Simon Hollingsworth officially launched the Sporting Schools program with the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Minister for Sport, the Hon. Sussan Ley MP in July 2015 at Sydney’s Werrington Public School. The launch followed a successful pilot program run during the first half of 2015. Since then Sporting Schools has grown to include 5870 registered schools with 4393 of those running funded programs, above predictions for the first year of the initiative. Sporting Schools is a $100 million Australian Government initiative designed to help schools to increase children’s participation in sport. In partnership with more than 30 NSOs, Sporting Schools helps coordinate sporting organisations, coaches and teachers to deliver sport before, during and after school hours.

The ASC has delivered a series of targeted communications to support Play.Sport.Australia., including video and social media to deliver participation messages and further promote the benefits of sport. In October 2015 the ASC released the ‘No Time for Never’ video encouraging people of all ages to take part in organised sport, attracting more than 1.5 million views and 28,000 reactions, comments and shares. Two videos titled ‘Stick With It’, targeting teenage sport participation were released in April 2016, featuring Australian Netball captain Laura Geitz and Australian Rugby Union national team captain, Stephen Moore. The ‘Stick With It’ videos were viewed nearly 646,000 times and received more than 12,200 reactions, comments and shares. A dedicated Play.Sport.Australia. Facebook page was launched and continues to feature content to promote sport participation.