The ASC underwent a year of significant transformation in 2018–19, with the launch of our new strategy in August 2018 and commencement of a new organisational structure following the 2017–18 strategic review. These changes have better positioned the organisation to deliver on our vision and purpose, and to support the Australian Government in delivering on the national sport plan, Sport 2030. Sport 2030 was launched in August 2018, and has significantly shaped the work of the ASC in 2018–19.

The ASC Corporate Plan 2018–2022 purpose for the ASC is to contribute to the health and wellbeing of Australians and make communities stronger through sport and physical activity. This new purpose represented a significant shift for the organisation, recognising the wider potential of sport and physical activity for the Australian public. To reflect better our broadened role in sport and physical activity, the organisation launched a new operating brand, Sport Australia, which represents sport participation, physical activity and sport industry development. Significant investment into the new brand and positioning of the organisation was undertaken as a part of the Move It AUS campaign.

The ASC, through Sport Australia, made significant progress in delivering on its purpose in 2018–19. For the first time, the organisation broadened its partnerships and funding approach beyond NSOs. The Move It AUS grant programs provided direct funding to a range of organisations and individuals, such as local sports clubs, local councils, not-for-profit organisations and private business. The Move It campaign and Move It grants program have underpinned our efforts to get more Australians moving more often.

In addition, Sport Australia continued to build partnerships with external organisations and government bodies, such as the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, and the Australian Curriculum and Assessment and Reporting Authority, in the education and physical literacy space, and with the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Coalition of the Major Professional and Participation Sports on issues of sport integrity and diversity. These partnerships, along with our work in the governance space, and a significant focus on digital transformation of the sport sector, are helping to build the capability of the sport industry. The Technology Roadmap project, a broad-reaching digital modernisation project, has focused on transforming both the ASC business and the sport sector. Projects such as SportAUS Connect are delivering industry-wide solutions to lead the transition to a digitally connected sport sector. Work continued on implementing an enhanced AIS organisational structure and to support both Sport Australia and the AIS to deliver on their purposes. As such, new operating model was approved by the Board in January 2019, giving the AIS autonomy and independence for high performance outcomes. The AIS and Sport Australia have separate CEOs who report to the ASC Board.

The AIS continues to be the Australian leader for high performance sport. Following on from the launch of the Corporate Plan and organisational restructure, the AIS undertook an extensive consultation across the high performance sport sector to develop the National High Performance Sport Strategy 2024, representing the first joint high performance strategy across all federal, state and territory sport agencies. The AIS, having led a transition to a more united and collaborative high performance sport system, also redefined its own purpose, success measures and focus. The new AIS purpose is to build sustainable winning systems for Australian athletes.

As the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games draw closer, the AIS continued to deliver on creating national pride and inspiration through international sporting success. While 2018–19 did not see any major international sporting events such as the Olympics or Commonwealth Games, Australian athletes or teams demonstrated great success at world championship events, with 27 new world champions crowned this year. The AIS has worked with athletes and NSOs to promote this success and enhance both the community perception and Australia’s reputation as a sporting nation. In 2019–20, the AIS will for the first time look to measure how Australians feel about our international sporting success, through the Community Perceptions of Sport Survey, to enable a better understanding of the pride and inspiration that we draw from sport.