Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh has called on Premier Chris Minns and Labor to reinstate funding for the $100 ActiveKids vouchers.
The vouchers, which provided $100 for parents, guardians and carers of school-enrolled children to use towards sport and active recreation costs each year, are currently subject to Labor’s ‘Comprehensive Expenditure Review’ and are facing the axe.
Mr Singh said the vouchers had significantly increased participation in sport across the Coffs Coast, with more than six million vouchers provided to families across NSW since 2018.
“I’ve seen first-hand the difference these vouchers have made, particularly as the cost of living has increased,” said Mr Singh, who is also Shadow Minister for Tourism, Emergency Services and the North Coast.
“This program is the biggest grassroots sport funding initiative in Australia and has driven huge increases in participation in all sports – it is worthy of funding.
“Sport plays such an important role in social cohesion in rural and regional communities and is an essential part of regional life.”
Mr Singh called on the Labor government to save the ActiveKids vouchers to make sure regional kids can access opportunities in sport.
“What Labor must understand is that regional areas have a higher cost of living than the city,” Mr Singh said.
“Local families are telling me that if the ActiveKids voucher is scrapped, they won’t be able to afford sport for their kids anymore – it’s as simple as that.
“I’m calling on Chris Minns and Labor to save ActiveKids, because if this program is cut, what is next?”
