SPARC Chairman John Wells issued the following statement today

SPARC Chairman John Wells issued the following statement today regarding outgoing Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon. Trevor Mallard:



``Trevor has been a passionate and committed Minister for Sport and Recreation. During his time as minister, he has been a strong advocate for the sector. Important progress has been made in many areas, including supporting and encouraging people to get off the couch, providing better support for our elite athletes and showing international leadership on anti-doping. As Chairman of the Board of SPARC, I would like to thank Trevor for his significant contribution over the past eight years.



``We look forward to working closely with Minister Cosgrove to fulfill SPARC’s vision for New Zealand as a nation inspired to be active, participate and win.’’