NSW Government plans to outsource management of sport and recreation camps

The NSW Government is considering outsourcing the management of its sport and recreation camps.

The Newcastle Herald has reported that the NSW Government has been sounding out private operators to take control of eight of the 11 camps across NSW.

NSW Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres says the NSW Government will not sell the camps, but an internal memo and "delivery model road map" circulated to staff and seen by the Herald confirms the NSW Government commissioned a report that identified "leasing" the centres "as providing the most favourable long-term return to government".

The memo also confirms officials from Office of Sport have met with private operators to discuss the option of leasing the centres.

Having pursued a privatisation and development agenda since its election, seeking contract management or long-term leases for the facilities is an unsurprising move by the NSW Government.

Set in scenic river, beach, bush and alpine locations, the camps which offer a range of specialist sport and recreation programs and school, school holiday and family camps that take advantage of the unique features of their location and facilities.

They also offer residential accommodation.

Under the proposal to lease the eight centres, the NSW Government would retain three - the Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation at Narrabeen (which offers an Olympic-standard athletics track and is also home to the Manly Sea Eagles), the Jindabyne Sport and Recreation Centre and Lake Ainsworth near Lennox Head - that Minister Ayres’ office said had been "identified as potential locations for high performance facilities".

Berry on the NSW South Coast; Borambola in the Riverina; Broken Bay and Milson Island in the Hawkesbury; Lake Burrendong in Western NSW; Lake Keepit in North West NSW and Myuna Bay and Point Wolstoncroft in the Hunter Region.

In this year's budget the NSW Government announced it would spend $5.9 million on a ski jump ramp at Lake Ainsworth.

In the Office of Sport's 2014/15 annual report it said the sport and active recreation sector was "facing major challenges to its sustainability and performance and has limited capacity to respond to these challenges".

It commissioned a "capability review" led by Dr Allan Hawke in early 2015, which led to a further review of the sport and recreation centres.

The 2014/15 annual report shows a 14% increase in participation at the centres, while costs reduced from $3.3 million in 2013/14 to $2.6 million in 2014/15.

For more information on NSW Sport and Recreation Camps go to www.sportandrecreation.nsw.gov.au/camp-and-event-venues

Images: Rock climbing at the Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre (top) and the award winning sport hall at the Milson Island Sport and Recreation Centre (below).

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