Libs leaving Tasmania off the sporting map

It is little wonder Tasmania gets left off the sporting map when the Liberal Government won’t support school sports programs, Shadow Education Minister Michelle O’Byrne said today.

Ms O’Byrne, who is also Shadow Sports Minister, has urged Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff to step in and guarantee Tasmania continues to play a part in School Sports Australia.

“The Liberal Government can hardly complain that Tasmania is left off the map on national swimming uniforms when we won’t spend such a relatively small amount to join SSA,” Ms O’Byrne said.

“Being a member of SSA is low-cost and engages high numbers of students as well as school communities.

“Sports participation is also a preventative step to other social and health issues that schoolchildren can face.

“It is especially hypocritical for the Government to not back this funding in light of this week’s revelations that they are paying a fly-in, fly-out Liberal spin doctor a pro-rata salary of more than $200,000, who has already banked more than this program would have cost.”
Michelle O’Byrne MP Shadow Education Minister