COMMUNITY sport will return in stages with children given priority under principles that National Cabinet set on Friday, amid moves to ease COVID-19 restrictions.
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was important that people "should be able to see sport, but they should be able to play it as well".
"The initial phase accommodates, where possible, for the resumption of children's outdoor sport with strict physical distancing measures for non-sporting attendees such as parents," Mr Morrison said.
The national principles state that the resumption of community sport "should take place in a staged fashion", with an initial phase of training in small groups of less than 10 people in "a non-contact fashion".
This would occur prior to "moving on to a subsequent phase of large group activities [more than 10 people], including full-contact training/competition in sport".
While children's sport was given priority for the "initial phase", the principles further stated: "All individuals who participate in and contribute to sport and recreation will be considered in resumption plans".
The principles allow for outdoor activities among all ages "including but not limited to personal training and boot camps, golf, fishing, bush walking, swimming etc".
The principles comprise three phases for the return of community sport - A, B and C - set by the Australian Institute of Sport.
State governments will determine progression through these phases, taking account of "local epidemiology, risk mitigation strategies and public health capability".
Detection of a positive COVID-19 case in a sporting or recreation club or organisation could lead to "quarantine of a whole team or large group, and close contacts, for the required period".
Mr Morrison said these matters would be further considered next week.
"Decisions have not been taken to move on any of those matters," he said.
"These principles set out the basis on which we might be able to go forward."
South Coast sporting associations and clubs are continually managing issues around season schedules, registration fees and finances, amid the uncertainty surrounding winter sport.