Federal government should increase funds to Indigenous AFL
Roar Guru By Paul, 27 May 2008 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
164 Have your say
The Federal budget handed down on May 13th showed strong favouritism towards the Football Federation of Australia over all other sports.
While $718.7 million was allocated to the “Close the Gap” policy program for Indigenous people, none was officially allocated directly to development of AFL amongst indigenous communities.
Indigenous Australians place great significance on the game of Australian Rules Football. Whether the sport of Marn Grook was an influence in the birth of Australian Rules Football or not is an issue hotly debated by some, but it undoubtedly is very important to indigenous Australians, and provides an essential connection through history for them.
Indigenous Australians have great ownership in the game of AFL. Indigenous Australians make up 10% of the AFL, but only 2% of the national population.
Indigenous children in many communities wear football gear as their daily clothing and play Australian Football constantly. They live and breathe the game. Indigenous Australian children interviewed in World Vision’s indigenous partnerships, overwhelmingly stated that it is their dream to play AFL professional football when they grow up.
Indigenous ownership of the game was proudly demonstrated in the Dream Time game at the MCG on Saturday night. The concept of the dreaming is not something from the past, but something which continues through all time and on into the future. AFL has become an important part of the dreaming for indigenous Australians.
The Close the Gap policy may well bring a lot of change and development for indigenous communities, and I hope sincerely that it does, but there is always the concern that this money will be delivered in a paternalistic manner, instead of trusting Aboriginal communities to spend the money on things that they see fit.
Much research has already shown that sporting activities for children and youth gives them hope in life and is a strong prevention against drug and alcohol abuse. Aussie Rules brings hope for Aboriginal kids. Let the indigenous communities spend money on improving facilities so that as many Aboriginal children can play footy as have the desire.
The Football Federation of Australia received $32 million in the federal budget. A further $10 million was given for the development of the Energy Australia Stadium in Newcastle (shared by the NRL and the A-League). In total soccer’s share in the federal budget was $37 million; cricket’s share was $17.5 million; Rugby League’s share was $13 million; AFL’s share was $7.5 million. No money was allocated to Rugby Union, in fact Howard’s previous pledge of $25 million to Rugby Union was removed.
Kevin Rudd has placed a lot of time, energy and money into developing the game of soccer, and towards winning the 2018 world cup for Australia. But in the process he is allowing his own personal preferences in sport to over ride the greater needs of indigenous sport in Australia.
I wonder what indigenous Australians would have to say about that?
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May 27th 2008 @ 12:28pm
Lazza said | May 27th 2008 @ 12:28pm | Report comment
True Tah,
Football is our only truly NATIONAL football code as well as being the World Game, just ask John O’Neil. I’m not saying Football has to take money away from other sports but it needs to be funded like the AIS so we can compete on the World Stage.
That’s my point about the Olympics. Even though none of our traditional sports are included we deem it important to compete in the World’s 2nd biggest sporting event.
May 27th 2008 @ 12:29pm
Michael C said | May 27th 2008 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
One point too easily forgotten when comparing the RL to the AFL and older VFL – - was, that the majority of indigenous Australians were playing throughout WA, SA and NT – - and so the players in the WAFL and SANFL had a greater representation than the more well known VFL.
I gather at present, the percentage proportion figure might just favour the NRL vs the AFL – - however, the absolute total number goes to the AFL (by virtue of more listed players) – - but, then – - the more kids who play whatever – the better, and are provided a possible career path – - is cool – - but,
the important thing are the programs such as the Clontarf Academies – - that don’t just focus on building athletes to be chewed up by whatever professional sport – - but, that focus on developing ‘leaders’ within the indigenous community.
As it is – the main funding comes from State Governments.
Remember back when the AFL was (like FIFA) resisting signing on lock, stock and barrel with WADA – - and the AFL was threatened by the Feds with withheld funding. I think at the time it would’ve only amounted to about $750K to $1m. Stuff all.
The AFL get basically nothing from the Feds – - other than for strings attached ‘infrastructure’ developments – - i.e. the Footscray (Whitten Oval) and North Melb (Arden St) developments are a funding mix of all govt levels PLUS the AFL and MUST be community facilities – - so, the Govts are actually squeezing money from the AFL.
The irony back with the funding and drugs saga – was that the piddling amount of Fed Govt funding was used for grass roots programs – - and, one of the main reasons the AFL was keen for a little more flex in it’s illicit drugs program related to the higher use of certain drugs by the indigenous community – - – so, while the AFL is actually working on the ground – - the previous Howard Govt was grandstanding in Canberra (especially during last years drawn out election campaign)
As it is – - an awful lot of Fed funding goes to Olympic sports – - and the entire AIS program seems aimed at trying to draw athletes away from the non-Olympic sports – - and it’s only via a technicality that the AFL has access – - and that has been the junior series with Ireland, and now South Africa.
It seems that the AFL continues to thrive and prosper despite efforts at Fed Govt level to undermine or exclude it.
May 27th 2008 @ 1:00pm
Redb said | May 27th 2008 @ 1:00pm | Report comment
Lazza,
“AFL is still struggling to cobble together a NATIONAL competition after 150 years. People around the world and half this country are just not interested.”
Well half the country is very interested including the 550,000 members of AFL clubs around the country.
AFL is an Australian game, so why the hell is the Australian Government so carelessly forgetting that fact. They ratified Kyoto as well, but do they really fully understand what is involved for Australia to comply?. No, its Rudd the human headline – same thing with the soccer WC.
I don’t wish to overly politicise a sports forum, but lets face it, Kevin Rudd is inviting this criticism due to his love of playing the interntaitonal statesman – and yes only soccer deilvers that ability – its Australians that vote him into office.
Your attitude is one of the reasons many fans of AFL in particular rail against soccer – you want Australia to become just another number on the FIFA ranking list. Why don’t you care about Australia in hockey, basketball,etc?
How is soccer the only truly national code? – Do you have teams in Darwin, Hobart, Canberra? AFL has teams in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, same as the A League but with much bigger crowds, TV ratings and popular support.
Half the country are very passionate about our Australian game, the deeper this goes the more entrenched we become on this issue.
Redb
May 27th 2008 @ 1:27pm
Lazza said | May 27th 2008 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
Redb, look up “Sweeney Report” on the web. It’s the most comprehensive survey of Australian sport that comes out every Winter.
Soccer is the only Football code that has an even spread of support and interest around the country. The other codes are only big in half the country. That’s why Ben Buckley, John O’Neil etc have called soccer our only truly NATIONAL football code. That’s after 3 years! The Socceroos can get 55K on a Wednesday night in Melbourne for the 96th ranked team in the World? The game in QLD on Sunday is sold out.
Your comments are typical though, it has to be AFL OR Soccer? Can’t we do both? Watching another sport is not a sign of disloyalty.
May 27th 2008 @ 1:47pm
Redb said | May 27th 2008 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
Sweeney Report – Sports Interest Ratings 2006-07
Australian Rules – 57% up 2 (from last year).
Soccer – 51% up 1.
RL – 42% level
RU – 40%. level
Looks like its soccer that only half the country are interested in
Redb
May 27th 2008 @ 1:48pm
Michael C said | May 27th 2008 @ 1:48pm | Report comment
Lazza – - and Redb – -
come on guys – - not this old cherry again.
Lazza – - soccer is the most consistant ‘average’ across the board, i.e. lowest common denominator. That doesn’t make it the ONLY TRUE national code. This is simply a measure in which soccer CAN be INTERPRETED as being MORE consistant across the states……..however……what do these figures translate to in the real world?
How many attended soccer matches EACH week across the major domestic league season? Stuff all on a state by state comparison – - even, such, that the Swans every 2 weeks are about twice the value of SFC – - – fair enough, there’s 3 teams in NSW – - however, compare Glory fortnightly vs EITHER of the Eagles or Freo. Even the Lions sit very well above the Roar in QLD. Victoria…..’nuff said.
What does all this mean to Free To Air tv coveage and the related advertiser value proposition. Stuff all for soccer.
Given the split market of soccer – - that, within that Sweeney report you’ll capture the following subsets :
-Only care about the EPL,
-only care about the FA Cup final and World Cup
-only care about the kids under 8s sat morning soccer – - we actually watch the footy/rugby etc
-care a little about the HAL but more the internationals
-Love the Socceroos, support the HAL, but, don’t go, it’s not good enough
-Love everything, signed up member, watch it on tele, total soccer nut
That soccer number is heavily DILUTED – - because, it really isn’t absolutely obvious just WHAT is means.
AFL wise – - well, there IS only one AFL competition, you can’t get confused even between the NRL club competition, superleague on tele from England and the SoO and the really odd international……oh, okay, the AFL had their first roll out of the Big ‘V’ since 1999 this year, and, we seem likely to play the Irish again in the hybrid game……I’m not even sure that would come into it at all.
Now – - for measures of attendance and club membership – - which are absolutely REAL – - not extrapolations based on limited survey sample data sets that are only so indicative because we know that we have major state to state variance as well as major metro vs regional – - so, on the attendance and club membership – - really, the AFL is the only truely national football league.
I’m not trying to argue about mine is bigger than yours – - however, when quoting the Sweeney report – - keep a very healthy recognition on the LIMITATIONS of the data set size and the MEANING of the questioning and the ‘results’.
At the ‘interest’ level – - well, certainly that can be very misleading – - really, it’s very broad – - being a spectator, viewer, reading results in paper or on the net.
Pariticipants – -
btw – - The Sweeney survey IS ONLY undertaken in the major capital cities – - many in regional areas might argue that there’s a big city skew – - that IS NOT quite so representative of regional areas.
however – - keep quoting the spin of Ben Buckley – - that’s his job – - and, you’ll just lap it up.
btw – - what do you mean “That’s after 3 years”
By saying that, you’re only talking about the HAL – - and therefore their attendance, membership and tv viewing figures.
DO NOT then refer to the Socceroos – - they’ve been around for ever.
DO NOT then refer to Sweeney reports on generic soccer that INCLUDES any interest in the ‘world game’, AND the local grass roots comps that pretty well pre-date the HAL.
You’re NOT really sure what your argument is – - you just want to argue.
Please – - you don’t need to be so confrontational.
May 27th 2008 @ 1:53pm
Redb said | May 27th 2008 @ 1:53pm | Report comment
Lazza,
Ben Buckley and Jon O’Neill hold/held positions within the FFA – no surprise at their slant.
After 3 years – you mean it went from nothing to nationwide participation in 3 years or do you mean the A League after 3 years – If latter, refer TV ratings and crowds of AFL v A League. If former and support and interest in soccer is so great refer to crowds and TV ratings for AFL v A League.
I watch a variety of sports this article has nothing to do with viewer habits.
Redb
May 27th 2008 @ 2:00pm
Spiro Zavos said | May 27th 2008 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
At the end of the Rudd 20/20 talkfest I wrote a piece in the Sydney Morning Herald, in my rugby column, about the lack of any input from sports administrators. The current Minister for Sport is a person who clearly knows nothing about sport (confusing rugby league and rugby union, for instance) and who did not have the nous or the lobbying power to get leading sports administrators to the event, though some of them suggested to her they were willing to attend and to throw in their ideas.
I also pointed out that one of the big ideas that should have been considered was an idea promoted by Professor Colin Tatz (the author of Black Diamonds, a histort of Aboriginal sports stars) that the remote communities should have a sports-led renaissance, with sports carnivals, mainly involving AFL, being used to provide something for people to strive for and to excel at.
The Rudd government has been duchessed by Frank Lowy to spend many millions of dollars pushing for Australia to riun a Football World Cup tournament. South Africa hosts the Football World Cup in 2010. It is most unlikely that Australia could get up 8 years later when England and Brazil, for instance, want to host the event.
Then there is the huge amount of money being spent on getting television exposure for the Matildas, the national women’s football side.
I think a bigger priority with government spending on sport would be to put it into the Tatz project of sports carnivals for the remote Aboriginal communities.
May 27th 2008 @ 2:02pm
Redb said | May 27th 2008 @ 2:02pm | Report comment
MC,
trying to make friends with these soccer people but they just keep tripping over their own arrogance about the world game compared to our puny little Australian game.
The fact is krudd has opened a can of worms with his attempt to add to more international statesman resume and cred err… crud.
Redb
p.s. Why ‘flog’ a dead horse MC.
May 27th 2008 @ 2:07pm
Lazza said | May 27th 2008 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
Guys,
The ALeague is averaging 14.5K per game, only 1000 less than the NRL. According to media reports the next Soccer TV package will be a FTA/Pay TV combination on a par with the NRL. Soccer is an international game so we must include the Socceroos. Otherwise, Cricket is a minor sport in this country because it doesn’t attract crowds for local games.
If you really think all sports can co-exist why are you lot so against funding Soccer? If we wish to make an impact on the World Stage we have 9 NATIONAL teams that have to be funded. They don’t just show up for tournaments either, they usually have a 2 year qualifying campaign just to get there.