AGY-3625 | Department of Leisure, Sport and Tourism

Full description

The Department of Leisure, Sport and Tourism was established on 21 July 1982 when the Department of Sport and Recreation was amalgamated with the Department of Tourism.(1) In 1982, the Department of Leisure, Sport and Tourism’s main functions were: promotion of physical and mental health and wellbeing through the provision of facilities and programs suitable for all sections of the community; assist, advise and support sporting and recreational organisations to develop the widest possible community participation in leisure activities; liaise with community sporting bodies on developing sport and recreation policies, facilities, and programs; act as a channel for State Government financial assistance for the development of sporting and recreational services and facilities; maintain a network of Regional Offices and Sport and Recreation Centres; organise and administer school outdoor education programs and field study programs.(2) The Department’s functions also included: control and regulation of professional boxing and issuing permits for boxing and wrestling contests; the control and regulation of horseracing, trotting, greyhound, and speedway racing and the licensing of race courses and speedways; issuing exemptions for public entertainment on Sunday mornings; and the administration of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.(3) The Department’s Sport and Recreation Centres provided facilities for school children during the school term and for the community at weekends and during school holidays. Field study centres provided secondary and tertiary institution curricula relating to sporting, recreational, and outdoor environmental studies. In 1982, the Department was responsible for the following Sport and Recreational Centres: Borambola, Broken Bay, Lake Burrendong, Lake Jindabyne, Lake Ainsworth, Lake Keepit, Little Wobby, Myuna Bay, Narrabeen Lakes, Point Wolstoncraft.(4) The Division of Tourism’s responsibilities included: the promotion of tourism to and within New South Wales; the development and promotion of tourist attractions within New South Wales; provision of policy advice to the Minister and Government on tourism related matters; working with the tourist industry and relevant Government Departments to plan and encourage orderly tourist development; the operation of Travel Centres in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne and Information Centres in Albury and Tweed Heads; operation of the Jenolan, Wombeyan and Abercrombie Caves Reserves; and the provision of investment advice and research information to the industry and potential investors.(5) The Minister of Leisure, Sport and Tourism was also responsible for: Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust, Greyhound Racing Control Board, Trotting Authority of New South Wales, and the Totalizator Agency Board of New South Wales. The Minister was also responsible for the Travel Agents Registration Board until 29 February 1984 when the staff attached to the Board were transferred to the Department of Consumer Affairs.(6) On 30 January 1985, the tourism functions of the Department of Leisure, Sport and Tourism were transferred to the Tourism Commission, including the following sections: Advertising and Promotions Branch, Commercial Operations Section, Executive Section (Tourism), Information Section, Policy Development Section, Product Development Branch, Steel Industry Section, Tourism Development Branch, information centres and resorts. The transfer was due to the specialised nature of tourism and growing community interest in the industry.(7) With the transfer of the above sections, the Department of Leisure, Sport and Tourism was renamed the Department of Sport and Recreation on 30 January 1985.(8) ENDNOTES
1. NSW Government Gazette No.99, 23 July 1982, p3349.
2. NSW Government Directory 1982, pp383-384.
3. ibid., p384.
4. ibid., p385-386.
5. ibid., p388.
6. NSW Government Gazette No.31, 2 March 1984, p1420.
7. NSW Government Gazette No.31, 1 February 1985, p483.
8. The transfer of the tourism functions and the Department’s renaming was gazetted on 29 January 1985 (NSW Government Gazette No.31, 1 February 1985, p483) but the gazettal date was later changed to 30 January 1985 (see NSW Government Gazette No.38, 8 February 1985, p591).