Push for compulsory primary school swim lessons

SPORT, including swimming lessons, would be compulsory under an overhaul of physical education in Australia.

SPORT, including swimming lessons, would be compulsory under an overhaul of physical education in Australia.

Federal Sports Minister Bridget McKenzie will push for her state counterparts to make swimming programs available in every primary school.

The call comes as most state governments have reduced mandatory learn-to-swim programs, and parents are not prioritising swimming lessons due to cost-of-living pressures.

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The first national sports plan, released yesterday, has called for sweeping changes, including more physical education in schools and an overhaul of the Australian Institute of Sport. The Australian Sports Commission will also be ­rebranded as Sport Australia.

There will be an overhaul of integrity measures, with ­athletes who pass insider information to bookmakers to face jail time.

Swimming Australia President John Bertrand said compulsory swimming lessons would be a “game-changer”.

“Swimming in Australia is a way of life and a fundamental life skill, so it is vitally important that our children learn to swim for their safety, enjoyment and health,” Mr Bertrand said.

“The learn-to-swim industry in Australia is world-class and will no doubt adapt with enthusiasm to assist and account for the increased number of participants expected as this new initiative rolls out across the country.”

Swimming lessons would be compulsory under an overhaul of physical education in Australia. Generic picture: iStock

State Education Minister James Merlino said Victoria was already leading the way, with an investment of $19 million over three years to support school swimming and water-safety programs.

“We made this part of the curriculum because we know this important skill will save lives,” Mr Merlino said.

The national sports plan also raises concern about Australia’s sporting excellence programs falling behind the rest of the world.

A day after Australian marathon legend Rob de Castella declared the AIS “dead”, the Turnbull Government announced it will commission a business case to redevelop the organisation’s current facility in Canberra.

Other measures in the plan include:

RETURNING the AIS to a world-leader in fostering and creating sporting stars, with an acceptance that the rest of the world has caught up and in some cases overtaken Australia;

REDUCING the inactivity of Australians by 15 per cent by 2030;

A RANGE of new sporting infrastructure grants to encourage more people to take up physical activity, led by the rebranded Sports Australia;

MATCH-fixing and related offences turned into federal crimes, with a purpose-built law-enforcement agency, the National Sports Integrity Commission which would include a nat­ional sports tribunal, to police and prosecute sports cheats; and

ATHLETES convicted of passing inside information to bookmakers would face criminal to face a range of new offences including jail time.

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