Kate Palmer, CEO of the Government agency Sport Australia used the FILEX Women of Influence Forum as a platform to throw Sport Australia’s support behind a partnership between the agency and Fitness Australia.

“We were really pleased to hear your new strategy was demonstrating a shift into this physical activity space,” Kate told Barrie Elvish CEO, of Fitness Australia –the peak national industry association – in a post-Forum interview.

“For me it’s about how can we partner with you (Fitness Australia) to look at opportunities, because your professional workforce is predominantly female and we’re very much skewed to male, and we need feet on the ground nationally, and you certainly have feet on the ground,” said Kate.

With a particular focus on your children, both Kate and Barrie agreed that teaching young children to run, catch and jump is so important because the reality is that many children start school not having the right physical-movement foundations.

“The opportunity that we have right now, in getting the foundations right through early childhood settings, is critical,” said Barrie.

This is simply one step in a series of initiatives that will support Fitness Australia’s primary goal.

Kate acknowledged that Sport Australia and Fitness Australia now share a strategic alignment; the next step is to align business planning to achieve our common goal.

Watch the full interview here or to find out more visit fitness.org.au