Kids to get vouchers toward cost of sports in battle against childhood obesity

EXCLUSIVE: CHILDREN will be given vouchers towards the cost of sports under an ambitious state government plan to combat childhood obesity.

It’s an Australian right of passage but the cost of sport for children can be crippling for some families so now the NSW Health Department is considering a voucher system to reduce costs. Picture: Jonathan Ng

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CHILDREN will be given vouchers towards the cost of sports under an ambitious state government plan to combat childhood obesity.

Health bosses have agreed to look at a voucher scheme, following­ a directive from a powerful parliamentary inquiry to do more to boost children’s activity­ by helping parents with exorbitant sports costs.

The inquiry recommended investigating the voucher scheme after hearing of a Queensland system in which parents can apply for sports funding of $150 per child. Health Minister Brad Hazzard said sport was vital for children not only to keep weight down but also to combat risk factors of suicide, teen pregnancy and drug abuse.

“I think sport is a lock-opener to the future so we need to look at all the options to see what we can do,” Mr Hazzard said.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard says sport is vital for children.

“For an average family, sport can often be a pretty expensive exercise, by the time you pay for registration fees and kick in more money for uniforms and travel it can become the last thing on the agenda so it’s a real challenge for some families.

“Being involved in sport has massive social pluses like self-esteem and learning to be better people in the community.

“The question, of course, is how do we fund it and that’s a challenge. I’d be encouraging private sector to throw in money for kids, especially those who are disadvantaged.”

Single mother Andrea Moschetti from Ermington puts her three daughters from left Christabel, 15, Klarissa, 11, and Catarina, 13, through club netball at a huge cost to the family budget. Picture: Jonathan Ng

In its response to the inquiry, NSW Health said “the problem cannot be fixed by government alone”. It will soon submit an options­ paper on how to boost private sector investment in projects­ to address the childhood obesity crisis, with about a quarter of the state’s children now overweight or obese.

Mr Hazzard ruled out banning junk food companies such as McDonald’s from supporting local sport, saying he does not want to jeopardise any funding.

“Hopefully the community, mums and dads, teachers are educating our kids that pretty well everything in moderation is OK, don’t get stuck into the Big Macs every week,” he said.

Parliamentary inquiry chair Scott Farlow said the voucher scheme could be linked to family tax benefits or via Centrelink.

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Mr Farlow said the committee believed a boost to sport participation would be more effective than a crackdown on sport sponsors, saying there had been some calls to “stop junk food advertising of sport”.

“It’s hard enough for sport to get sponsorship, particularly local junior sport, so we didn’t want the government to take any moves to restrict further who could sponsor local sport and competitions,” he said.

Sports Minister Stuart Ayres supported initiatives to reduce the cost of organised sport. “Participating in sport, as part of a healthy active lifestyle, is one of the best things any person can do,” he said.

PARENTS PAY THE PRICE FOR HEALTHY GOALS

Keely McDonough

HER daughters’ love of sport takes a toll on single mum Andrea Moschetti’s budget but she knows how important it is for their health.

Ms Moschetti spends nearly $700 a year for Christabel, 15, Catarina, 13, and Klarissa, 11, to play for Eastwood Ryde Netball Association.

“Club level on its own is quite expensive, it is over $230 per child per year,” Ms Moschetti said.

Single mother Andrea Moschetti from Ermington spends nearly $700 a year on club fees to allow her three children to play netball. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“Christabel also plays at representative level and that is another $550, on top of club fees.

“But any kind of sport is really important to the kids’ health and fitness, so you wear the cost.”

Ms Moschetti said a government voucher to help cover the cost of children’s sport would be beneficial to many families. “I think it would be great to have a concession or discount that helps lower-income families get their children into the sport they want,” she said. “Eastwood Ryde let me pay off my club fees by umpiring games or volunteering, and I think that is a great alternative if the cost is too much.”