Speculation about the future of the Australian Institute of Sport in the capital is at an end with the facility to remain in Canberra. The federal government ordered the review into AIS infrastructure last year, amid calls to move the site to south-east Queensland ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games. But the review has rejected that proposal.
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00:00 Certainty for a Canberra institution.
00:05 The Federal Government has confirmed the national home of sport will stay in the capital.
00:11 It's welcome news for the ACT Government.
00:13 The loss of the AIS, a prospect which would have been a significant blow to the planned
00:18 precinct upgrades.
00:20 It's the heart of the sports element and clearly it brings a lot of people, tourists, elite
00:27 athletes, coaches into that precinct.
00:31 The Albanese Government ordered an independent review of AIS infrastructure in October amid
00:36 calls to move the ageing facility to South East Queensland.
00:40 The review's report rejected that proposal, vindicating those who insisted the site needed
00:45 investment, not relocation, ahead of the 2032 Games.
00:50 On a bigger concept of the Australian sporting community, to have that facility open again
00:55 for trade is awesome.
00:58 What it did in the lead up to Sydney was extraordinary.
01:00 The results we got there reflected the commitment and the passion around sport in Australia
01:04 and I'm hoping we can reinvigorate that.
01:06 It's not clear what it will cost to get the institute up to international standards.
01:11 Our expectations were they would need to invest more than $200 million in the AIS precinct.
01:17 But Senator for the ACT and Finance Minister Katie Gallagher has flagged the Commonwealth
01:23 will foot most of the bill.
01:25 Obviously we'll work in partnership with the ACT Government as we work through some of
01:29 the issues around this review.
01:32 But I would see this as a Commonwealth responsibility.
01:35 The remaining recommendations are being considered by the Federal Government ahead of the May
01:39 budget.
01:40 And though the Games are eight years away, getting facilities up to scratch could be
01:44 a sprint to the finish line.
01:45 [BLANK_AUDIO]