The Albanese Government has announced it will revamp the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) to ensure that it remains the premier training ground for Australia’s top athletes.
In the 2024-25 Budget, the government will allocate $249.7 million to modernize AIS facilities in Bruce. This investment aims to create a state-of-the-art environment for elite and aspiring athletes. The funding will cover the construction of an accessible multi-story accommodation facility, a multi-sports dome providing an all-weather, multi-sport indoor training facility with integrated testing and analysis capabilities, and a new High-Performance Training and Testing Centre.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: The upcoming Budget will ensure the Australian Institute of Sport remains in the Capital, where it belongs, and ensure it once again becomes the world-leading high-performance centre it was designed to be. We want to give our athletes the best chance of bringing home gold at Brisbane and every competition before and after those games (the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games).
An extra $10 million will be allocated to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts. This fund is intended to collaborate with the ACT Government on developing a Bruce Precinct Masterplan, ensuring the site is welcoming and functional for visitors, athletes, and their families.
“For more than 40 years, the Australian Institute of Sport has been a much-loved venue for athletes, Canberra locals, and visitors to the ACT. It’s played host to school excursions, sporting matches, and concerts. Still, we know in recent years it’s fallen into disrepair due to inaction from the Liberals and Nationals,” said Minister for Finance Katy Gallagher. Reflecting on the AIS’s legacy and the importance of the investment, Gallagher stated, “The Albanese Government is investing almost $250 million into the AIS so it can once again become the vibrant community hub that Canberrans know and love.”
The AIS also recently announced a new coach apprenticeship program, offering a two-year paid working apprenticeship for aspiring high-performance coaches. The AIS will co-fund salaries in coordination with participating state and territory institutes of sport and national sporting organizations.
In preparation for the first National Generation 2032 Coach Program (NG32CP), the program aims to increase the depth and diversity of high-performance coaches for the Olympic, Paralympic, and Commonwealth Games. AIS Acting Chief Executive Officer Matti Clements commented on the program’s importance. “The future success of Australian athletes and sport relies on expanding our coaching pipeline at all levels,” Clements said.
Clements further explained that the AIS Learning Labs will emphasize contemporary coaching delivery, innovation, technology, advanced interpersonal and leadership skills, and an increased understanding of athlete development. “We also want to put an emphasis on coach wellbeing. It’s common in coaching programs such as these that developing coaches tend to work excessive hours, compromising their coaching, learning, and growth,” she said.
A recent independent review, “A Fit for Purpose Australian Institute of Sport,” made 12 recommendations to the government, focusing on the condition of the AIS’s physical infrastructure and its strategic fit for the High-Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy. The review highlighted two distinct areas for consideration: the physical infrastructure supporting the AIS and the effectiveness of the current operating model between the AIS and the National Institute Network. Although the review focused on the former, it noted that the current operating model could be more streamlined to eliminate duplication.
Minister for Sport Anika Wells underscored the timing of the investment. “For 2032 Games success, the need for sports investment is now, as we know, it takes up to eight years to prepare an athlete for the highest level of competition,” Wells said.
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, and Local Government Catherine King stressed the importance of the AIS for athlete development. “The Australian Institute of Sport should be a place where elite athletes want to be to help achieve their full potential. We are investing in the Institute so it can be that place,” King remarked.
While the budget provisions are made, a detailed business plan for the AIS site redevelopment is still in the works. These initiatives align with recommendations from the independent review of AIS infrastructure, aiming to equip Australia’s high-performance athletes with world-class facilities to enhance their success.
ACT Acting Chief Minister Yvette Berry: This is a great day for Canberra. The commitment to the AIS in Canberra will create local jobs and appropriately recognize the city’s role as the nation’s capital,” Berry stated. “It places the Institute and its facilities at the heart of a modern sports, health, and education precinct in Bruce for decades to come.
The investments and initiatives announced in May are seen as critical steps towards restoring the AIS to its former glory and supporting Australia’s athletes on their path to success at the highest levels of competition. Prime Minister Albanese concluded, “What is crystal clear is that under my Government – Canberra will always get the support, investment, and respect Australia’s national capital deserves.”
