VICTORIAN families are being encouraged to get their children back to sport as COVID-19 restrictions ease across the state.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Deputy Premier James Merlino on Sunday announced the government would be providing $200 vouchers for about 100,000 children, which could go towards things like sporting equipment, uniforms, or memberships.
Mr Merlino said the Active Kids Voucher Program would be launched in early 2021, with eligibility criteria and details on how to apply to be announced in the coming months.
Read more:
"This is about supporting kids getting back into their local clubs, supporting sporting clubs getting back on their feet, and supporting parents with the cost of living," Mr Merlino said.
"We don't want cost to be a barrier to getting kids back and active. They have been home for the best part of six months.
"For their physical health, for their mental health, for the mental health of their parents, we need kids back out and about."
Mr Merlino said 577 schools would also receive a total of $13 million in grants.
That funding would go towards purchasing sporting equipment, running sport and physical activity programs, and encouraging partnerships between schools and local clubs.
"This is a really significant announcement, encouraging community sport, encouraging kids to return to the sport that they love," Mr Merlino said.
The announcement came after the state recorded zero new coronavirus cases and no further deaths on Sunday.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said there were only two people in hospital with COVID-19, although neither of those people were receiving intensive care.
There were only 61 active coronavirus cases in the state. None of those cases were in regional Victoria.
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.