Kevin Rudd says sports won't suffer cuts

KEVIN
Rudd says more money will be spent on sport regardless of tough
economic times because sport is so closely tied to Australia's identity.

On the eve of the Olympics, and amid fears Australia's medal tally may be down on previous efforts, the Prime Minister yesterday moved to reassure the Australian Olympic Committee that his Government would keep spending up on elite athletes.

"Part of Australia's global standing lies in the fact that we have
such an enormously competitive nation on the international field of
sporting endeavour, and the Olympics and other elite sports as well,"
Mr Rudd told Channel 9.

"It's part of who we are as a country."

Mr Rudd said Australia's standing in the world was linked to how well we did on the sporting fields.

"It's not just that we're tough and competitive, and seem to be
such, but we also adhere to the rules of fair play," Mr Rudd said.