Table Tennis Australia welcomes launch of 10+10 vision for sport to power Australia’s future

Table Tennis Australia (TTA) has welcomed the release of the Sport: Powering Australia’s Future (10+10) submission by Australia’s Olympic/Paralympic and Commonwealth Games sports which details a national long-term vision for sport to help drive Australia’s future.

Sport: Powering Australia’s Future (10+10) is a joint submission made to the Federal Government’s 2021 Intergenerational Report (IGR) by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA), in collaboration with their member sports, including TTA. The submission is not simply an ask for funding, but a strategy to reframe the relationship between sport and government for the benefit of the country. 

TTA CEO Scott Houston said that the strategic roadmap included in the 10+10 submission positively outlines the crucial role sports like table tennis can play in supporting all levels of government as they address Australia’s intergenerational challenges and ensure communities across the country get healthier and more active. 

“The major recommendations included in the 10+10 submission provide the foundation to chart a new path forward for the sports industry and the government in the next two decades,” Houston said.

“TTA fully supports the submission’s key recommendations to develop an appropriately funded implementation plan for Sport 2030. We also recognise the value in a future investment framework which needs to guarantee certainty of allocations to sports like table tennis for a minimum of four-year cycles - based on the development of a business plan for which sports should be held accountable. This is applicable to TTA’s Able-Bodied and Para High Performance Programs, plus our Participation and Development Program.

“We also support the need for a National Sport Event Strategy to be implemented in collaboration with AOC and CGA. A shared strategy and the inclusion of the sports industry in policy development processes are crucial to ensure that the benefits and the legacy of major sporting events like the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is maximised across all sports. In TTA’s case, we hope that we can bring world class international table tennis events to Australia in the lead up to 2032.” he said.

By addressing the key barriers preventing the sports industry from delivering, the submission sets out how sport can tackle Australia’s intergenerational challenges against very similar metrics to the ‘3Ps’ - Population, Participation and Productivity growth - that have framed IGRs for the past 20 years. This is how sport will deliver Australia’s aspiration of a healthier, smarter, more active population, for all Australians, in all communities.

The CEO of the Australian Olympic Committee, Matt Carroll AM, said: “With the awarding of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to Brisbane, Australia has been given a gift of a generation. Through the power of sport, the Games will drive a 10-year runway of opportunity to 2032 and underpin a 10-year legacy post the Games for the next generation of Australians, 10+10. To achieve this requires investment by sport, government, the tertiary education sector and corporate Australia. 

“Sport is good for our nation’s collective health, in addressing the nation’s obesity crisis, chronic diseases, mental health and personal development. Sport strengthens our communities and contributes to Australia’s economy. Sporting excellence builds national pride, motivation and inspires us all. The Australian athletes at the Tokyo Games are leading by example, demonstrating that achievement requires resilience, commitment and hard work.”

The CEO of Commonwealth Games Australia, Craig Phillips AM, said: “The 10+10 submission is not about money for winning medals. It is about how the power of sport can be better resourced and deployed to serve the needs of the community over the long term. 

“Sports Industry infrastructure includes grass roots facilities used for participation, right through to world leading high performance and major event facilities. At a grass roots level, sporting infrastructure can provide a foundation from which to build prosperous communities, improving the liveability of Australian cities and regions, connecting people from different backgrounds around common objectives, supporting employment and the economy. This is the ‘virtuous circle’ that links grassroots sport and pathway development through to elite performance. It is all interconnected in the best interests of the nation.”

The full Sport: Powering Australia's Future (10+10) submission can be read here.