From the Chief Executive

Given the increasing challenges to physical and mental wellbeing, participation in sport and active recreation has never been more important. Being part of club creates a sense of resilience and enhances the feelings of belonging and connection within our community. These are critical factors in helping us to achieve a thriving South Australia.

In 2021/22, COVID-19 continued to challenge us individually and as a community. While our performance has been against a backdrop of change and disruption, the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing (ORSR) has been focussed on delivering value for the community: supporting the sector, getting South Australians moving, delivering inspiring athletic performances on the world stage, and investing in world-class sporting infrastructure.

This sporting infrastructure investment has enabled the Office to deliver significant venues for major sporting events in South Australia during this reporting period including:

  • Stage 2 funding for the transformation of Memorial Drive Tennis Centre enabling Adelaide to secure back-to-back Adelaide International tennis events.
  • $6 million funding for the newly constructed and UCI-standard Sam Willoughby BMX Track which saw Adelaide host the 2022 AusCycling National Series as part of the Santos Festival of Cycling.
  • $26 million funding for the newly completed State Centre of Football and $46million funding for the  transformation of Hindmarsh Stadium, resulting in Adelaide being selected as a host city for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Delivery of these and other construction projects have occurred despite material supplies and workforce shortages, which led to escalating costs and some lengthy delays. Our work could not have been achieved without the expertise and guidance of our capital works partners at the Department for Infrastructure and Transport.

Adapting to COVID has had a significant impact on participation in sport and recreation activities. While adults have increased their average number of activities, fewer adults are relying solely on sporting clubs and organised venues for their exercise. People are adding “COVID-safe” unstructured activities such as walking, pilates, mountain biking and canoeing. More adults1 are accessing exercise through gaming consoles or online platforms (known as exergaming), making it one of Australia’s top 20 activities this year. While children’s participation remains lower than prior to COVID, there was a noticeable increase in the first half of the year.

South Australian and SA-based athletes and their SASI support staff endured an enormously disrupted preparation for the delayed Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. Each athlete has displayed incredible resilience, discipline and fortitude and as a group have flourished in trying conditions. Although they formed 11% and 5.5% of the teams respectively, they have returned at least double that percentage in medals (24% and 11% respectively). Sixty-four athletes were selected for the Australian Teams and achieved 20 medals (four Gold, six Silver and 10 Bronze).

I also take immense pride in reporting that three SASI staff members were chosen to provide their world class expertise across the Australian Olympic and Paralympic teams in Tokyo. Five staff members also took on other national level roles with Swimming Australia, AusCycling and the Hockeyroos ahead of international events (2022 World Cup, 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the 2024 Paris Games).

Each member of the SASI team forms part of the fundamental building blocks to this success whether they build strength and condition, better nutrition, acclimate athletes to environmental conditions, relieve tired muscles or any other of the 100’s of activities that support elite performances at peak competitions.

Critical to this success is the strong partnerships that we have built with national and state sporting organisations and other system partners. The strength of these partnerships is reflected in the national training centres and high-performance pillars based in South Australia and the ongoing investment in our programs, services and training environments. To that end, the South Australian Government has invested a further $49 million in the construction of a contemporary training and performance support facility for SASI athletes. In partnership with the Australian Institute of Sport and the world-renowned aerodynamics company AEROLAB, the Agency will also deliver a cutting-edge wind tunnel to boost future training capabilities for high-performance athletes.

The Agency has turned it eyes towards preparations for the Brisbane Games in 2032 ensuring that young, talented South Australian athletes like SASI Junior Athletes of the Year Nikita Hains (diving) and Angus Dawson (rowing) have access to high quality training and competition opportunities. 2032 Games athletes are currently in high school; therefore, it is important that the Agency’s talent identification program ramps up to identify our next champions and nurture their talent.

Lastly, I wish to recognise my great fortune to lead a passionate and resilient team that has been able to successfully navigate through the challenges of this last year. Each member has continued to adapt, and with great energy and enthusiasm found solutions to the problems and opportunities that have arisen.

I encourage readers to explore the detail of this Annual Report and discover the significant outcomes achieved by the Agency and our partners over the past 12 months.

Kylie Taylor

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing


Contents

Overview: About the Agency

  • Our Strategic Focus
  • Our Vision
  • Our Functions, Objectives and Deliverables
  • Our Organisational Structure
  • Changes to the Agency
  • Our Ministers
  • Our Executive Leadership Team
  • Legislation administered by the Agency

The Agency’s Performance

  • Agency contribution to whole-of-government objectives
  • Agency-specific objectives and performance
  • Employment opportunity programs
  • Agency performance management and development systems
  • Work health, safety and return to work programs
  • Executive employment in the Agency

Financial Performance

  • Financial performance at a glance
  • Consultants' disclosure

Risk Management

  • Risk, audit and performance at a glance
  • Fraud detected in the Agency
  • Strategies implemented to control and prevent fraud
  • Public interest disclosure

Reporting Required Under any Other Act or Regulation

  • Reporting required under the Boxing and Martial Arts Act 2000
  • Reporting required under the Public Sector (Data Sharing) Act 2016

Public Complaints

  • Number of public complaints reported
  • Additional metrics
  • Service improvements
  • Compliance statement

Appendix: Audited Financial Statements 2021-22