Legislation requirements

Sport Australia’s enabling legislation is the Australian Sports Commission Act 1989 (ASC Act), which defines the Commission’s role, corporate governance and financial management framework. As a corporate Commonwealth entity, Sport Australia, under the legal name of the Australian Sports Commission, is accountable to the Minister for Sport.

Sport Australia’s delivery of its outcomes is guided by its governance framework. This framework includes our enabling legislation and other legislative instruments, managerial and organisational structures, corporate policies and strategies, and resource management practices.

The objects of Sport Australia are set out in section 6 of the ASC Act. They are:

4. to provide leadership in the development of sport in Australia
5. to encourage increased participation and improved performance by Australians in sport
6. to provide resources, services and facilities to enable Australians to pursue and achieve excellence in sport while also furthering their educational and vocational skills and other aspects of their personal development
7. to improve the sporting abilities of Australians generally through the improvement of the standards of sports coaches
8. to foster cooperation in sport between Australia and other countries through the provision of access to resources, services and facilities related to sport
9. to encourage the private sector to contribute to the funding of sport to supplement assistance by the Commonwealth.

The functions of the ASC are set out in section 7 of the Australian Sports Commission Act. They are:

1. to advise the Minister in relation to the development of sport
2. to coordinate activities in Australia for the development of sport
3. to develop and implement programmes that promote equality of access to, and participation in, sport by all Australians
4. to develop and implement programmes for the recognition and development of:
   1. persons who excel, or who have the potential to excel, in sport
   2. persons who have achieved, or have the potential to achieve, standards of excellence as sports coaches, umpires, referees or officials essential to the conduct of sport
5. to initiate, encourage and facilitate research and development in relation to sport
6. to undertake research and development related to sport science and sports medicine
7. to provide sports medicine services and sports sciences services to persons participating in programmes of the Commission
8. to establish, manage and maintain facilities for the purpose of the Commission
9. to collect and distribute information, and provide advice, on matters related to the activities of the Commission
10. for the purpose of fostering cooperation in sport between Australia and other countries, to provide access to persons from other countries to the resources, services and facilities of the Commission
11. to raise money through the Australian Sports Foundation, or by other means, for the purpose of the Commission
12. to administer and expend money appropriated by the Parliament, or raised in accordance with paragraph (m), for the purpose of the Commission
13. to consult and cooperate with appropriate authorities of the Commonwealth, of the states and of the territories, and with other persons, associations and organisations in matters related to the activities of the Commission
14. to provide advice on matters related to sport to the Australian Olympic Federation or other persons, bodies or associations
15. to cooperate with national and international sporting organisations in aiming to foster a sporting environment that is free from the unsanctioned use of performance enhancing drugs and doping methods.

Ministerial direction

For the 2017–18 reporting period, two Ministers have been responsible for sport. The Honourable Greg Hunt MP was Minister for Sport from 1 July 2017 to 19 December 2017. Senator the Honourable Bridget McKenzie MP was appointed Minister for Sport on 20 December 2017.

Neither Minister Hunt nor Minister McKenzie made any directions to Sport Australia under subsection 11(1) of the ASC Act during the reporting period.

No government policy orders were issued to Sport Australia under section 22 of the PGPA Act during the reporting period.