Media Release A new report from independent think tank Committee for Sydney has found young people aren’t getting enough exercise, especially girls, with the long-term decline tracking closely against screen time.
The new report, ‘A Sporting Chance,’ developed in consultation with sport, business and government, dives into the state of sport in Sydney.
Considering everything from participation rates and fast-growing sports to funding deficits and facility shortfalls, the new report identifies major disruptors to the system as the first step in a new program looking to rethink our approach to sport in the best interests of all Sydneysiders.
By the numbers:
- In 2005, 31 per cent of children met the one hour moderate or vigorous exercise threshold – by 2023, that figure had fallen to just 20 per cent
- Girls are significantly less likely than boys to meet physical activity guidelines, with boys at 26 per cent and girls at 13 per cent
- Supply of sport facilities varies widely across Greater Sydney with key shortfalls in the southwest (particularly Campbelltown and Liverpool), northwest (Blacktown and Hills Shire) and across the inner south.
Matt Levinson, report author and Culture Policy Lead at the Committee for Sydney: “We like to think we’ve got sport in our blood in Sydney, but the data in our new report shows that’s not the case for far too many kids.
“It’ll come as no surprise to a lot of parents that as kids’ screen time goes up, physical activity levels go down. The two have moved in near-perfect opposition, particularly over the last 10 years.
“What’s shocking is the data on participation levels – while boys bounced back after Covid-19, the number of girls meeting physical activity guidelines just keeps dropping.”
Pigeonholed by postcode
When it comes to sport participation in Sydney, where you lives matters more than it should. Public budgets are more constrained than ever, and local councils are at the whim of funding caps, meaning not all Sydneysiders are getting the same access to sporting opportunities.
Matt Levinson: “Your postcode shouldn’t define what you can play, but that’s exactly what it’s doing in too many parts of Sydney – particularly in the southwest and northwest.”
“Some parts of the city have less access to swimming pools, to football fields and indoor basketball courts, to well-lit paths for running or walking – and as Sydney grows, the pressures will only increase.
“If we’re not prepared to accept the idea of Sydney being a city where people can’t play their favourite sport because of where they live, we’ve got to take this seriously.”
‘A Sporting Chance: Why Sydney needs a rethink on sport’ identifies seven large-scale changes disrupting Sydney’s community sport and active recreation sector, as part of a new policy research and advocacy program designed to address the issues and make the case for a system that gives all Sydneysiders a fair go when it comes to sports participation.
The Committee’s Sport Program is supported by Cox Architecture, Campbelltown City Council and News Corp Australia.
Read the full A Sporting Chance report: https://sydney.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Committee_for_Sydney_Sport_26.pdf