❓ Mr. Alban asks about the "Changing Attitudes to Alcohol through Sport" initiative. The Minister outlines the program's goals, funding, partnerships, and reliance on grassroots mentors to change alcohol-related behaviour within sporting clubs.
AnsweredQoN 171Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ALCOHOL — CHANGING ATTITUDES THROUGH SPORT
INITIATIVE
171. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Racing and Gaming:
I share the minister's view that sport and sporting
clubs can be excellent drivers of positive social changes in our communities.
Can the minister please outline to the house details of the Changing Attitudes
to Alcohol through Sport initiative that the minister launched on 28 April?
INITIATIVE
171. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Racing and Gaming:
I share the minister's view that sport and sporting
clubs can be excellent drivers of positive social changes in our communities.
Can the minister please outline to the house details of the Changing Attitudes
to Alcohol through Sport initiative that the minister launched on 28 April?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Swan Hills for his question. This is a
very important topic that the government has a very carefully considered
position on. As members know, I have been involved in sport and sporting clubs
throughout my life. I have witnessed firsthand the influence that sporting
clubs can have on not only the people involved with the sporting clubs, but
also the community. When I managed the Western Australian Country Football
League, we promoted the Belt Up campaign just through utilising our wide
network of football clubs across Western Australia, because of the too many
youngsters in particular who were not wearing seatbelts. That program has had a
great effect, just as sporting clubs can have in many other areas. We want to
utilise the great networks of our approximately 7 000 sporting clubs to change
people's behaviour regarding the management, consumption and attitude
generally towards alcohol consumption. The other day I announced a program to
provide $1 million over three years to partner with sport to change people's
attitude and behaviour relating to alcohol. I make the point that this program
is not reliant so much on the funding as it is on the people and the networks
that we have. The funding is not the main purpose here.
An opposition member interjected.
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
The member made a comment, but he does not understand what is actually
happening here, so I am happy to explain to him later how it will work. To
begin with, the government will partner seven of our major sports. Seven major
sports are already committed, as are the WA Sports Federation and the Luke
Adams Foundation. Others will obviously come on board. Those seven major sports
make up about 50 per cent of our 7 000 clubs. We are utilising that network of
7 000 clubs to drive a culture change from the grassroots level up to target
the culture within those clubs by utilising mentors. They can be local mentors—existing
leaders or figures. I think those mentors are in every sporting club in every
country town and suburb. It is about utilising those people in making the
change. For example, Peter Bell, as most members probably know, is an extremely
good footballer. I saw through his sport and leadership that Peter had great
influence in the country town of Kojonup where I come from. He changed the
habits of youngsters in that town through his leadership. That is what it is
about. We will utilise that grassroots level and we will make a change. We have
appointed a full-time project officer.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I formally call you to order
for the second time today.
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : Knowing that the member for Collie–Preston knows
sporting clubs as well as I do, I think he would support this program. The
program will tap into the network of existing resources. We have expanded the
club development officer system to more than 40-odd, including all the officers
from the sports themselves. It is about supporting sport and working statewide.
I think if we can make a change in the majority of those 7 000 clubs, it will
benefit the clubs, it will benefit the local communities and suburbs, and it
will be of great benefit to our society. Once again, it is about this
government utilising sport and making sure it is not just a matter of sport for
sport's sake, but for achieving other things. We are backing that up
and we have made a commitment to develop safer sport and recreational
environments. The amount of $20 million allocated for the Sport 4 All program
shows that. It is critical that when those youngsters who become involved
graduate, we want them to go to safer and better clubs. I think it is a
terrific program. I thank the WA Sports Federation and the Luke Adams
Foundation for their support, which is important. I am sure this initiative will
create significant change to the culture relating to alcohol within Western
Australia.
very important topic that the government has a very carefully considered
position on. As members know, I have been involved in sport and sporting clubs
throughout my life. I have witnessed firsthand the influence that sporting
clubs can have on not only the people involved with the sporting clubs, but
also the community. When I managed the Western Australian Country Football
League, we promoted the Belt Up campaign just through utilising our wide
network of football clubs across Western Australia, because of the too many
youngsters in particular who were not wearing seatbelts. That program has had a
great effect, just as sporting clubs can have in many other areas. We want to
utilise the great networks of our approximately 7 000 sporting clubs to change
people's behaviour regarding the management, consumption and attitude
generally towards alcohol consumption. The other day I announced a program to
provide $1 million over three years to partner with sport to change people's
attitude and behaviour relating to alcohol. I make the point that this program
is not reliant so much on the funding as it is on the people and the networks
that we have. The funding is not the main purpose here.
An opposition member interjected.
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
The member made a comment, but he does not understand what is actually
happening here, so I am happy to explain to him later how it will work. To
begin with, the government will partner seven of our major sports. Seven major
sports are already committed, as are the WA Sports Federation and the Luke
Adams Foundation. Others will obviously come on board. Those seven major sports
make up about 50 per cent of our 7 000 clubs. We are utilising that network of
7 000 clubs to drive a culture change from the grassroots level up to target
the culture within those clubs by utilising mentors. They can be local mentors—existing
leaders or figures. I think those mentors are in every sporting club in every
country town and suburb. It is about utilising those people in making the
change. For example, Peter Bell, as most members probably know, is an extremely
good footballer. I saw through his sport and leadership that Peter had great
influence in the country town of Kojonup where I come from. He changed the
habits of youngsters in that town through his leadership. That is what it is
about. We will utilise that grassroots level and we will make a change. We have
appointed a full-time project officer.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I formally call you to order
for the second time today.
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : Knowing that the member for Collie–Preston knows
sporting clubs as well as I do, I think he would support this program. The
program will tap into the network of existing resources. We have expanded the
club development officer system to more than 40-odd, including all the officers
from the sports themselves. It is about supporting sport and working statewide.
I think if we can make a change in the majority of those 7 000 clubs, it will
benefit the clubs, it will benefit the local communities and suburbs, and it
will be of great benefit to our society. Once again, it is about this
government utilising sport and making sure it is not just a matter of sport for
sport's sake, but for achieving other things. We are backing that up
and we have made a commitment to develop safer sport and recreational
environments. The amount of $20 million allocated for the Sport 4 All program
shows that. It is critical that when those youngsters who become involved
graduate, we want them to go to safer and better clubs. I think it is a
terrific program. I thank the WA Sports Federation and the Luke Adams
Foundation for their support, which is important. I am sure this initiative will
create significant change to the culture relating to alcohol within Western
Australia.
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