In 2017–18, Sport Australia undertook a major review of its strategic direction to ensure that it is delivering the best outcomes for its stakeholders and the Australian community. The review highlighted the importance of Sport Australia evolving its operations to take a stronger leadership role and working together with the sport sector and Government to enable sport to deliver on its potential, now and into the future. As a part of this, Sport Australia has broadened its purpose, to focus on the impact that sport can have on the lives of Australians. Our new purpose is to contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of Australians and making communities stronger through sport and physical activity.
Sport Australia plays a central leadership role across the sport sector, building collaboration, alignment and effectiveness. Sport Australia promotes and supports the development of a cohesive and effective national sports sector that creates opportunities for all Australians to participate and excel in sport.
Sport Australia works together with our partners, including sporting organisations, peak bodies, the Office for Sport, state and territory departments, institutes and academies of sport, along with the broader business sector, recognising that a shared approach which brings together expertise from a range of organisations will allow us to deliver on our vision.
In 2017–18, Sport Australia played a broad role in sport, from helping our athletes represent Australia on the world stage, to getting more Australians—particularly young Australians—playing sport, including through our highly successful Sporting Schools program. One of our key activities in 2017–18 was investing in a wide range of national sporting organisations (NSOs) to achieve high performance outcomes and to get Australians moving more often. The investment is targeted at those organisations that are best placed to assist Sport Australia to deliver on its purpose. In addition to providing funding, Sport Australia provides capability support to NSOs, and conducts research and analytics to help drive improved decision making across the sector.
Our Outcome, as outlined in the 2017–18 Portfolio Budget Statements, is increased participation in organised sport and continued international sporting success, including through leadership and development of a cohesive and effective sports sector, provision of targeted financial support, and the operation of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).