Community Sport, Concussion Education

Mr HUGHES (Giles) (14:35): My question is to the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing. How is the Malinauskas government promoting concussion education amongst community sport?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD (Reynell—Minister for Child Protection, Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:35): Thank you to the member for his important question. I do acknowledge his passion and support for sporting clubs in his electorate and the importance of sporting clubs in regional communities everywhere. I acknowledge those who have suffered or do suffer through concussion, their loved ones, and particularly those who have tragically lost precious family members and friends.

Concussion is a serious issue that needs to be addressed and have awareness raised about it at all levels of sport. It can sometimes be an invisible injury and education is absolutely paramount. The days of get up, shake it off and get back out there are well and truly—rightly—over. It should no longer ever, ever be seen as brave to continue participating after a head injury, and the risk of doing so should be something that every person involved in sport is aware of and supported to act upon.

Our state government strongly encourages players, clubs, medical professionals and sporting associations to ensure best practices are adhered to. That is why the Malinauskas Labor government, through the Active State Collaboration Program, has provided $300,000 to the South Australian Sports Medicine Association (SASMA) to deliver crucial education about concussion.

I was delighted to attend the launch of SASMA's community concussion education program, ahead of their delivery of at least 18 workshops with sporting associations and clubs each year for the next three years, with a number of those to be held in regional areas. Generous SASMA members—sport medicine experts—collaborated on the development of this program, providing vital wisdom and expertise.

This excellent program is about responding to a critical emerging issue, one that for too long we have not responded to as we should. Like all aspects of community life, things change, awareness is improved, and our community appetite to alter behaviours increases. Concussion is an issue that, rightly, our community now demands we address. Through growing awareness of the dangers of what used to seem like a minor knock, something that was all just part of the play, we now know that pushing through cumulative harm is just not the right thing to do.

In the short term, concussions can manifest symptoms such as headaches, dizziness and confusion. Athletes in particular are at risk due to the nature of contact sport. Recognising and promptly managing concussions is crucial to prevent further injury and promote recovery. Concussions can, of course, extend beyond the realm of sport, affecting individuals in various personal settings. Understanding the significance of concussions has spurred advancements in research, diagnosis and treatment, emphasising the importance of proactive measures to safeguard brain health and prevent long-term repercussions.

I extend my congratulations to SASMA for their outstanding work in developing this crucial program, and in particular the CEO, Danielle Grant-Cross, and President, Dr Luke Mooney, who are both passionate advocates for change. I wish everybody involved in the program success. I know it will be incredibly valuable in empowering sport to tackle this critical issue impacting the sector, our community and our state.

Finally, I inform the house about the Team Up Triathlon being held this Sunday on the Semaphore foreshore. This event, created by Luke Ivens, a former SANFL footballer who suffered multiple concussions, aims to support efforts in raising awareness about the effects of concussion. I encourage everyone to visit www.teamuptriathlon.com for more information.