Kids across the central west may miss out on participating in local sports like Walla Rugby if cuts to the active kids program go ahead.
Nationals Upper House MP Sam Farraway has today called on Chris Minns and Labor to reinstate funding for the $100 ActiveKids vouchers.
The vouchers, which provided $100 for parents, guardians and carers of school-enrolled children to use towards sport and active recreation costs each year, are currently subject to Labor’s ‘Comprehensive Expenditure Review’ and are facing the axe.
Mr Farraway said the vouchers had significantly increased participation in sport across the central west, with more than six million vouchers provided to families across NSW since 2018.
“I’ve seen first-hand the difference these vouchers have made, particularly as the cost of living has increased,” he said.
“This program is the biggest grassroots sport funding initiative in Australia and has driven huge increases in participation in all sports – it is worthy of funding.
“Sport plays such an important role in social cohesion in rural and regional communities and is an essential part of regional life,” explains Mr Farraway
Mr Farraway called on the Labor government to save the ActiveKids vouchers to make sure regional kids can access opportunities in sports.
“What Labor must understand is that regional areas have a higher cost of living than the city,” he said.
“I’ve had contact from many local central west families, and they’ve told me that if the ActiveKids voucher is scrapped, they won’t be able to afford sport for their kids anymore – it’s as simple as that.
With registrations for winter sports upon us, now is the time to use the vouchers before they may be cut.