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Sport and Recreation Ministers from around Australia have converged on Darwin as the Northern Territory hosts the annual Sport and Recreation Ministers’ Ministerial Council meeting today.

Minster for Sport and Recreation Kon Vatskalis, who will chair the meeting, said the Ministerial Council would discuss a range of issues currently facing sport and recreation across Australia, including developing a better culture of participation and ways to tackle the rise in obesity levels, particularly among our youth.

"Working collaboratively on a range of sport and recreation issues delivers positive social, health and educational outcomes,” Minister Vatskalis said.

"We will be fortunate enough to hear from a range of presenters including Professor Adrian Bauman who will be discussing underlying obesity issues and the health and economic consequences of obesity for Australia.”

Professor Bauman is the Professor of Public Health (Behavioural Epidemiology Promotion) at the

University of Sydney. He has a diverse research interests in health promotion and epidemiology with an emphasis on disease prevention research (including obesity), particularly physical activity and public health.

Other issues on the Ministerial Council agenda include:

• Strengthening the National approach to Elite Sport

• Developing a better culture of participation

• Improved access to facilities and public open spaces

• Volunteering and sustainability

• Fair play in sport

The Ministerial Council meeting will take place at SkyCity in the International Room from 8:30am today.

Contact: Kieran Phillips  08 8901 4182