State Member for Ku-ring-gai, Alister Henskens SC MP, today announced community Sports Clubs in Ku-ring-gai will be among those across the State eligible to apply for a fifty per cent co-funding contribution for a lifesaving defibrillator.

 Mr Henskens said that, as part of the 2017-2018 Budget, $4 million would be allocated over four years to assist sporting clubs across NSW purchase and maintain Automatic External Defibrillators (AED).

 “The first eight minutes after a person has a cardiac arrest are the most critical and early access to CPR and defibrillation can increase the likelihood of survival by up to 75 percent,” Mr Henskens said.

 “We will be rolling out more than 2,500 AEDs over the next four years, under the Local Sports Defibrillation Program, which will also see community members trained in how to use them.”

 Minister for Sport, the Honourable Stuart Ayres, said some form of cardiac arrest is experienced by up to 33,000 people in Australia every year.

 “With thousands of spectators and players attending sporting events around the State every week, having AEDs at those venues will save lives,” Mr Ayres said.

 Applications from clubs will be invited from October this year through the Office of Sport website.