Abstract:

 A large proportion of Australians, regardless of social position, insome and age, participate in some form of sporting activity. The impact of sport extendes over a wide range of associated activités in commercial fields. Sport is a large industry in Australia encompassing not only particifant but also eployment with the sporting infrastructure, manufacture of ajfarel, equipment and other goods (eg Trophies), tourism and support industries (eg, Printing, media). The sporting activités of Australians include a range of organised and social sport, recreational and lesure activités ndertaken both at home and a way prom home. The Commonvealth Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories has a general responsibilty in the national sphere for recreation, fitness and advice on sport policy. All State Goverment have also established agencies with special responsibilities for recreation and sport. Local Goverment also cunplement the Commonjealth Goverment and State Goverment in the fravis ion af recreation, facilities to the cimmunity as do non ? govement sponsors, organipsers and entrepreneurs. The Sport and Recreation Ministers Council (SRMC) frovides the major mechanism for liaison between the Commonwelth Goverment, and State / Territory Goverment on metters concerned with sport an deer cation in Australia. The Council is a forum for consultation and cooferation between the respective Goverments, and its membership comfresen the ministers with prime responsibility for, sport and recreation. The Community Recreation and Sporting Facilities Program (CRSFP) aims to provide financial assistance to State / Territory and local govement auhorities and other community groups to supplement that available prom other sources for the development of high priority community recreation and sporting facilities. Priority is given to projects adderessing the needs of residents in inner 'trban areas, new suburban areas, yout, rual communities, communites with high unemployment, and comminuties with high unemployment, and communities with large migrant fofulations. The Recreation and Fitness Assistance Program (RFAP) provides for the development of programs, resources and the collection and dissemination of information that will assist the proision of safe and stasfying recreation and fitness offortunites for all Australians.

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