That is according to swimming legend Kieren Perkins,who now runs the Australian Sports Commission,as the nation prepares for a period littered with home world championships and other major sporting events.
Olympic great and Australian Sports Commission chief executive Kieren Perkins said the coming decade was “one of the greatest periods of opportunity in Australia’s sporting history”.Getty
Perkins addressed the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday after his organisation released its strategic vision,which says the 2032 Olympics will be a success if they inspire a new generation of Australian athletes.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist made his speech as Andrew Liveris,the president of Brisbane’s Olympic and Paralympic organising committee,
Like Liveris,Perkins emphasised the importance of embracing Australia’s multiculturalism and in particular the country’s Pacific neighbours.
But Perkins said Brisbane’s success would boil down to one thing.
Kieren Perkins in his heyday,winning the 1500-metre freestyle gold at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.Tim Clayton
“It’s about Australia succeeding on the field of play,” he told the press club audience.
“I’m absolutely certain when the Olympics and Paralympics are over,the community at large is not going to leave those Games if we have not performed well on the field of play,and say:‘You know what,that was the best Olympics ever. The seats in the stadium were so comfortable and the food and beverage and the concession was awesome,I know we lost but that’s cool’.
“It doesn’t work that way. We have high expectations of our athletes. We need to work very well to ensure on the field of play we’re absolutely delivering the best performances we can,and inspiring the country at large to see what’s possible.
“There will be people who will pay exorbitant amounts of money for tickets and people who will pay a very small amount but it’s incredibly meaningful to them.
“They need to turn up and see an Australian compete. We need to deliver a big team,a strong team,and the atmosphere that creates and the representation that shows across the nation is incredibly important.”
Perkins said the coming decade was “one of the greatest periods of opportunity in Australia’s sporting history”.
“Our most important job will be to put these words into action ... any game plan in sport is only as good as the way in which you deliver it,” Perkins said.
“The reality is that for Australia to establish the world’s best sporting system,none of us here will be able to win alone.
“But if we can all be part of this together,we will achieve remarkable things - not just for sport,but for Australia.”
Major events in Australia across the next decade include the T20 Men’s Cricket World Cup,the FIFA Women’s World Cup,the 2026 Commonwealth Games,men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups and the Netball World Cup - and that is before the Olympics head to Brisbane in 2032.
But Perkins admitted funding of athletes might need to improve to match rival nations,particularly in the “non-major” sports.
While Australia invests $150 million a year into 35 performance programs,only $14.6 million goes in direct grants to athletes.
That means the average grant for an athlete is $16,000 a year,with the maximum any can get $35,000.
“Most athletes don’t make the equivalent of a minimum wage (from their sport) and almost all finish without any superannuation,” he told the press club.
“We want to ensure athletes are not significantly disadvantaged financially during their athletic careers while they pursue success in representing our country.
“The reality is,competing in contemporary international sport requires a full-time workload.
“Many other countries are providing the financial support needed for their athletes to obtain this.”
Perkins confirmed the government had committed to $28.6 million funding over four years for the nation’s Winter Olympic and Paralympic teams,an Australian first.
Perkins also dispelled rumours the Australian Institute of Sport would move from its current Canberra headquarters to south-east Queensland ahead of the Brisbane Games.
But he said the 41-year-old campus needed revitalisation given the extreme demand on the facilities in recent times.