Australia Yearbook - 2001

Chapter 12—Culture and recreation 529
12.31 INVOLVEMENT IN SPORT—1993 and 1997
Number
Participation
1993 1997
Number
Type of involvement
’000
%
’000
%
Players 3 963.6 29.1 4 115.2 28.5
Paid 57.0 0.4 142.6 1.0
Unpaid 3 906.5 28.7 3 972.6 27.5
Non-players(a) 1 419.7 10.4 1 655.9 11.5
Paid(b) 166.1 1.2 203.9 1.4
Unpaid 1 253.6 9.2 1 452.0 10.1
Players and non-players(c) 4 504.9 33.1 4 669.8 32.4
Paid 213.3 1.6 328.5 2.3
Unpaid 4 291.6 31.6 4 341.3 30.1
(a) Includes players with non-playing involvement. (b) Refers to those who received some payment for their non-playing
involvement only. (c) Persons who are involved both as players and non-players are counted only once.
Source: Unpublished data, 1993 Involvement in Sport Survey; Involvement in Sport, Australia, 1997 (6285.0).
Participation
12.32 PARTICIPATION IN SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES(a), By Age Group—1998–99
Males Females Persons
Number Participation rate Number Participation rate Number
Age group (years)
’000
% ’000
% ’000
Participation rate
%
18–24 754.4 81.9 704.8 78.8 1 459.2 80.4
25–34 1 040.0 75.4 917.2 64.9 1 957.3 70.1
35–44 886.8 63.0 851.0 59.1 1 737.8 61.1
45–54 724.5 58.8 659.5 53.9 1 384.0 56.4
55–64 388.7 48.0 377.7 47.5 766.4 47.8
65 and over 389.1 41.9 368.5 32.6 757.6 36.8
Total persons 4 183.5 62.6 3 878.8 56.3 8 062.3 59.4
(a) Data for 1998–99 are not comparable with those for 1997–98, as non-organised running/jogging/walking activities were
included for the first time in respect of 1998–99.
Source: Participation in Sport and Physical Activities, 1998–99 (4177.0).
The survey found that 59.4% of the population
(8,062,300 people) aged 18 years and over
participated as players in one or more sports and
physical activities during the 12 months ending
June 1999 (table 12.32).
Participation rates were highest for the 18–24 year
age group (80.4%), and declined steadily with
age. Only 36.8% of the population aged 65 years
and over participated in a sport or recreational
physical activity.
Males had a higher participation rate than females
in every age group, the greatest difference
occurring in the 25–34 year age group. Overall,
males had a participation rate of 62.6% compared
with 56.3% for females.
The most popular sport or physical activity
undertaken during 1998–99 was walking, with
participation by about 3,077,700 people, or
22.7% of the population aged 18 years and over.
Results from the surveys conducted in 1996–97 of
participants aged 15 years and over show that
over $2,762m was spent on organised sport and
physical activities by participants. This represents
an average expenditure of $693 per participant.
Organisation of sports is through clubs,
associations and schools.The main areas of
expenditure were clothing and equipment
($814m), followed by weekly fees ($570m),
membership ($538m) and transport ($527m).
The most expensive organised sport or physical
activity was motor sports, which had an average
expenditure of $1,787 in 1996–97. Other
expensive sports for participants were horse
riding ($1,405), waterskiing/powerboating
($1,277) and air sports ($1,259).
Popular sports and physical activities
In 1998–99 participation by adults in activities
organised by clubs or associations was highest in
aerobics/fitness, golf, tennis, netball and lawn
bowls. However when non-organised
participation is included, the activities which
attracted the most participants were walking
(3.1 million people), swimming (2.1 million),