The federal election campaign has started and we are all counting down the days till September 7.
Over the next few weeks I will aim to give the election a slightly different focus and take you through the relationship between sport and politics.
Each year the federal budget allocates over $300 million to sport across high performance, participation and anti-doping funding.
In addition, since the last election, more than $380 million has been allocated through major infrastructure projects and the hosting and bidding for major events.
You can bet your house that both sides will making many more announcements over the coming weeks and to make sure you know who the people are behind these decisions the first piece will be focused on those in Canberra who have the influence to determine the direction of sport.
Labor Senator the Hon Don Farrell – Current Minister for Sport
Farrell was promoted to Federal Minister for Sport (taking over from Kate Lundy) at the start of July, adding to his role as Minister Assisting for Tourism.
Elected as a Labor Senator for South Australia in 2007 Farrell is a well known Adelaide Crows supporter and a keen tennis player who has been rumoured to take it to resident political tennis pro John Alexander MP on the Parliament House courts.
Farrell has made his immediate priorities clear: deliver on a timely conclusion of the ASADA investigation, and on community sporting clubs wants and needs. This is addition to the continued implementation by the Australian Sports Commission of Australia’s Winning Edge strategy and a range of programs to support participation in sport.
Coalition MP Luke Hartsuyker – Current Shadow Minister for Sport
Hartsuyker is a member of the National Party and representative for the seat of Cowper, covering Coffs Harbour and surrounding areas. Elected to the House in 2001 Hartsuyker has been Shadow Minister for Sport since 2010 along with Shadow Minister for Regional Communications and Youth.
Given his electorate’s coastal location, it’s not surprising that Hartsuyker is a keen surfer and sailor. When not out on the water Hartsuyker is a Ducati tragic and supports the Roosters in the NRL and the Hawks in the AFL.
Over his three years as shadow Harsuyker has positioned himself to be an alternative voice for sport in Canberra and aims to support improved results by Australia’s elite athletes, and to increase community sport participation rates by using federal funding for sport more efficiently.
Greens Senator Richard Di Natale – Greens Spokesperson for Sport
Elected as a Greens Senator for Victoria in 2010 Di Natale has been the spokesperson for sport as well as health, gambling and multitude of other portfolios.
A trained doctor, Di Natale is also a former ruck-rover for Coburg and Oakleigh in the VFL and while no longer on the field has embraced surfing, swimming and cycling and supporting his beloved Tigers.
While it is unlikely that Di Natale will ever hold the ministry his voice is one that cannot be ignored in the general debate. Over the past three years he has had a strong focus on the integrity of sport particularly around issues such as sports science in the major codes, and the level of gambling and alcohol sponsorship in sport.
Already within the first few days of the election campaign, each of these players have made announcements on sports policies and while I know politics doesn’t float everyone’s boat, it’s undoubtedly one of the more tumultuous times in sport. These three men will have a big say on where our sports are heading in the future.
Sean Sammon is a former advisor to the Federal Government on all things sport and has been blamed by his mates for every single Australian sporting loss over the past 18 months. While enjoying an early retirement Sean is working on his golf handicap and rediscovering the beauty of retro footy between reading the papers and websites (front and back/top and bottom) to see how the world of sport is affected by the powers that be.
SandBox
Roar Guru
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok3YcCVVfBU can the Government can? Will there be a part 2?
anfalicious
Guest
The thing with the Olympics is that they are a prestige event; it's not about the sport, it's about politics (and capitalism). We fund so many sports so we can get a top 5 medal tally. This makes Australia look better to the world, and more importantly, makes Australians feel as if we aren't an insignificant rock at the arse end of the world.
mushi
Guest
Yes hooray for Gina and donating a giant estimated 0.03% to 0.5% of her net worth. My really rough back of the envelope puts that at around the average Aussie home owner chipping in about $100 to 150, and that ignores the concept of utility of wealth which actually probably puts it more like $10 to $20. Cheer Gina
Kasey
Guest
Feds and Randwick Council to fund $16mil South Sydney RLFC high performance centre in Maroubra http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/city-east/south-sydney-rabbitohs-to-train-out-of-heffron-park-maroubra/story-fngr8h22-1226692777564 Turf code war with Randwick DRUFC? I can just see the leather patch brigade getting mobilised and protesting...except they don't read the murdoch papers;)
Sean Sammon
Roar Guru
Hey Midfilelder - you raise some solid points that I think worthy enough of an own piece which can include the exect figures provided to both the sport and arts at a federal level and the process of how sports funding is decided. watch this space...
Sean Sammon
Roar Guru
Hey Matthew, not to defend Gina or Clive but both have been pretty solid contributors to sport in the past. Gina has sponsored Swimming Australia to the tune of $10 million to establish the Georgina Hope Foundation Swimmer Support Scheme (http://swimming.org.au/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=NewsItem&NewsID=29197) and Clive was in the past a well known supporter of sporting clubs in Northern Queensland.
Sean Sammon
Roar Guru
Thanks nickoldschool, much appreciated and I hope I can add to your final decision!
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
Regional Staff Photographer. Thanks.
Chui
Guest
Frank Lowy's replacement. He has gravitas ;)
Midfielder
Guest
Whats the job ... and good luck with the interview...
Ahmed
Guest
One could also argue why do sports which people only watch every 4 years receive funding. Shouldn't the Sports which provide the entertainment to more of the population, more often, receive more funding? Just another way of looking it.
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
Mid, I was merely reacting like so many others when their chosen sport is belittled... :) Sorry, in a bit of a cheeky mood - scored an interview for a "dream job" today.
Midfielder
Guest
Rabbitz You assume to much on my views on the WCB... I am not saying how hard or difficult the sport is... I am saying outside those that partake in it where is the greater community interest .... If you read my comments you will see we may be a lot closer than you think because I think the major football codes and cricket receive way to many hand outs ...
Midfielder
Guest
AR Agree .... and it goes through every level of government ... take a local council they will provide for a very modest fee a park for a sport to use .... at those times the local club has use of that park not the local community [OK I am being very pickie as its locals normally in the park teams] .... however if say part of the money used to keep the sport parks in shape was given to the local school of arts [which have by and large gone these days] or to a Mothers and babies club ... Not picking on the AFL and Cricket [its just easy because it only a couple of teams] but will use them in Sydney as my example.... The SCG, Homebush and Blacktown grounds jointly used by the AFL & Cricket to my general understanding have had maybe 500 million spend on them over the past few years ... Say between the Swans, GWS, ODI, and the Test match these grounds get 40 days usage at say 100K per day [I think it is less than 100K BTW] so 4 million in income less the cost to run and hold these assets .... so maybe a profit of 2 million on a 500 million + investment .... other codes are not that much different so again not trying to pick on cricket and AFL.. An even worst example is Randwick racecourse ... massive investment in the hundreds of millions and a pepper-corn rent is paid ... and crowd wise lucky to pull 6K a day.. Somewhere its gone wrong ....
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
Clearly you have never competed in any of the sports you mentioned. Archery and the shooting sports (both of which I have competed in at club and state level) are harder and take more time to perfect than kicking a ball around or running into some other behemoth. Frankly, the amount of money spent on these sports pales into insignificance compared to the taxpayer money wasted large stadia and on a certain failed World Cup bid. (Those in glass houses and all that)
BigAl
Guest
I've always rolled my eyes when it comes to Olympic equestrian events ! - as pointed out, the costs for transporting horses are horrendous, and the public interest base is definitely slanted towards a privileged elite. A few years ago there were rumblings about this at IOC level and talk of eliminating or at least reducing these. An elite pro-equestrian lobby group (think Princess Anne) immediately swung into action and as far as I'm aware they 'disappeared' ! Also, I noticed in a recent article here on the Roar re. Aus. top sporting money earners that an equestrian made it into the top 50 with income > 1 mill. . . . !!??$%??
Australian Rules
Guest
"Maybe I am a lone voice but me thinks sport should pay a lot more of its way …." Absolutely. Proportionality should be the key test...and private investment for infrastructure should be preferred, as opposed to public funding.
Midfielder
Guest
Back on my arts V sports .... maybe I am repeating myself .. BUT the cost to sent horses and a team size we sent to the Olympics and Commonwealth games ... when many of these sports are more past times than sports ... the two I named of archery or pistol shooting / rifle shooting ... horse events .... The government could make a history of Australia or fund shows that could be sold overseas and invite people to Australia...
Midfielder
Guest
For me a burning question is how does the government make up its mind on how to hand out the loot ... As an example should money be paid for many Olympic sports of when if we are honest only interested to those involved in them ... not talking about swimming or running ... but say archery or pistol shooting ... further why are some very well to do sports like say AFL get indirect funding like stadiums at reduced rents ... well reduced if ground hire was by way of a commercial landlord... I read somewhere that almost all Olympic sports require funding ... and then I wonder with some Olympic sports how they are funded when community interest of that sport would be very tiny .... My counter is funding the arts .... make movies about Australia ..... fund the ABC & SBS to make more local doco's.... Maybe I am a lone voice but me thinks sport should pay a lot more of its way ....
Kasey
Guest
The fact that FFA have yet to designate/discover an 'heir to the throne' indicates just how big a gap there is between Mr Lowy and anybody else. Well anybody else with his level of passion for the game. The man has been instrumetal in founding 2 national football leagues in less than 40 years. Football historically struggles to match the lobbying power of the AFL& NRL, but in recent years has managed to turn a few ears.