Community sport given $25m in funding boost, as premier calls for student return

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced a $25m boost for community sport - and said he wants students to be brought back to the state because firms which rely on them need workers.

Mr Perrottet announced the funding injection for sport in a bid to boost the state's economic recovery post-lockdown, as the state recorded 332 new local COVID-19 cases and two deaths.

"Community sport is the heart and soul of our state," Mr Perrottet said.

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"And it's great to see this week we've now good kids back on the court.

"Schools are going back and sport is going back and as part of the treasurer's economic recovery plan, we're investing $25 million.

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"We know that community sport has gone through a very difficult time, but we're open again. We're open for business and we're open for sport."

Mr Perrottet said more 30,000 employees and 10,000 sports clubs were affected by the latest lockdown.

Meanwhile, he also added that discussions were being held with the Federal Government on how best to facilitate the arrival of international students, saying it was affecting firms who rely on them to work.

"We lost around 300,000 jobs and recovered every single one of them," he said.

"We know, particularly with reductions in immigration, reductions in skilled labour, international students not returning at this stage, it's made it incredibly difficult for many industries to get the workers that they need.

"We've had extensive discussions with the Commonwealth government in relation to this. I know that they're working on it."

Two more die with virus in NSW

New South Wales has recorded 332 new local COVID-19 cases and two deaths.

The results come from more than 64,000 tests, while 469 people are currently in hospital being treated for COVID-19.

As of today 83.7 per cent of the state's eligible residents are fully vaccinated, while 92.8 per cent have received a single jab.

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