Motions

Sports Vouchers

Mrs PEARCE (King) (11:03): I move:

That this house—

(a) notes that more than 90,000 sports vouchers were redeemed in 2024, helping South Australian families save over $9 million and ensuring more children and young people can participate in sport or recreation activities;

(b) commends the Malinauskas Labor government on the doubling of sports vouchers from 1 January 2025 to allow families to claim two $100 vouchers per eligible child each year and the expansion to include music lessons; and

(c) commends the government's increased focus on increasing participation for all South Australians to ensure they benefit from the mental, physical and emotional benefits from being part of the sport or recreation they love.

It is really pleasing to share with the house that last year we had a record number of more than 95,000 claims for sports vouchers across South Australia. It has been a growing trend since its inception in 2015, with 707,000 claims being made within our state, providing over $60 million worth of support. It is a rising trend. Looking at the 2022 figures, we saw that we had 85,000 sign-ups. In 2023, we saw we had 88,000 sign ups. Now, seeing the phenomenal number of 95,000 sign-ups, we know we are on the right track to helping young people in our state get involved and active in their local communities, living healthy, active lives.

I would like to highlight some of the statistics that we have been seeing in our regional communities as well. Last year, in the Murray and Mallee region, we saw a 10 per cent increase of up to 3,924 claims made. On Kangaroo Island and the Fleurieu Peninsula, we saw an increase of 10 per cent as well, totalling 2,944 claims made. In the Yorke and Mid North region, we saw an increase of 7 per cent, with 4,193 claims made. Over in the Adelaide Hills, we saw a really phenomenal uptake of 12 per cent, going up to 5,666 claims made. Barossa, Light and Lower North also had good strong increases in participation and uptake of this program of 8 per cent, which took it to 5,118.

It just goes to show that there is a strong desire within communities, families, sporting bodies and the like to help our young people get engaged and that we are hitting the mark with the uptake that we are seeing in this space. It is really pleasing as well that this year's trend looks like it is going to be stronger than ever, with January receiving a record number of claims, more than 11,000 claims made in the very first month. That is a 164 per cent increase on the January figures that we saw last year.

For a bit of fun, the most popular activities include soccer, gymnastics, swimming, Australian Rules and dance, and I highlight this because it goes to show that the expansions over the years have been received well, seeing as both dance and swimming have also been included and reflected in the uptake that we have seen already in January. The regions have seen massive growth for the first month of this year with the expansion. In Nuriootpa, we have seen a tenfold increase; we have gone from 13 last year in January up to 138. In Mount Barker, it is 120 up to 153; Mount Gambier, seven up to 70; and Hayborough, 25 up to 44.

It just goes to show that there is a really strong response from our local regional communities as well as what we are seeing in our metropolitan communities, making sure that all South Australians, families and young people are receiving the supports that they need to encourage them to live healthy, active lives. It goes to show that this program is having continued relevance and appeal to players, to families and to club organisations all across our state, which is something we have continued to work towards, ensuring that we are achieving and supporting in as many ways as we possibly can.

I know that this year will be a strong year because this is a year where we have seen an expansion that is going to provide local families in our state with greater flexibility and choice in how they access these sports vouchers, now Sports Vouchers Plus. It also importantly gives more clubs and sporting bodies the opportunity to encourage this important program for the local communities because they are able to say you can hold the vouchers and choose to spend them a little later in the year.

We know kids often play sports across seasons, or they might be playing multiple sports, or maybe they have a different interest and music is their avenue. No matter what it is, we want to help encourage our kids to embrace these healthy lifestyles, which is why one of the expansions is ensuring that not only have the vouchers doubled but you are given the option to spend them in two ways, either with two $100 vouchers across activities or across seasons, or you could spend it all in one go if that is what works best for the family and the household as well.

We are including music because, as I said, we want to ensure that kids are living healthy, active lives, engaged and connected in their local communities. Music is just as important an avenue that we can support our kids to embrace, no matter where they are and where they live. We have had a pretty firm vision within our government that we want to ensure that kids are getting off screens and are active in their local communities. We know the detrimental effect addiction to screens and the like can have on our young people and the impressions that screens can make on them at such an important time in their growth and development.

We have taken active steps in that space, of course, with the banning of mobile phones in our public high schools, which we have seen a really strong reaction to and we are seeing good results as a result of that. We have certainly taken steps to lead the way in the steps that we have been taking in terms of the social media ban as well, which I am really pleased to see now has a national approach to help protect our young people. But what is just as important is ensuring that we provide avenues that our young people can embrace in place of these, where we possibly can. With that, I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.