The Melbourne Rebels received up to double the funding of the Western Force in the years leading up to the latter’s axing from the Super Rugby competition, a Senate hearing has heard.
Australian rugby union chief Bill Pulver was questioned about those figures after he defended the decision to axe the Force as a necessary financial one to ensure the sport’s future.
In the last three years the Force received the least amount of funding of Australia’s five teams and the Rebels the most, WA Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds told the hearing citing ARU statements.
That included $8.3 million to the Rebels and just over $4 million to the Force last year, she said.
The Rebels also had a $13 million loan written off by the ARU.
“Anyway you look at this the Force got the least amount of these Super Rugby grants than any other team, in some cases they get almost half of what the Rebels got,” Sen Reynolds told the hearing.
Pulver denied that the Rebels were propped up to the Force’s demise but repeatedly cited confidentiality agreements when refusing to answer questions about the ARU’s support for the Melbourne team.
He said the decision was made to free up cash to stop the sport’s decline in Australia and denied the view held in the West that the ARU always wanted to save the Melbourne team rather than the Perth club.
The hearing is being held in Perth where disgruntled Force fans spoke to Pulver before he faced questioning by a committee consisting of three West Australian senators.
Pulver refused to say how Australia’s $285 million share of Super Rugby’s broadcast deal compared with other countries, following repeated questioning by Sen Reynolds who said that was surprising given he was citing financial issues for the Force’s axing.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
The Rebels received a much more support both financial and other (eg access to marquee players), that was denied to the Force.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
The major personal risk for all Board members is the Senate may decide to refer to matter to ASIC with a recommendation for prosecution. As well as fines and /or imprisonment (unlikely) the penalty of banning an individual from holding any directorships a frequently applied penalty.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
What resources? The Senators and staff get paid whatever they are doing.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
The Senate Inquiry was set up by unanimous vote of the Senate, the Upper House of the Federal Parliament. It is supported by everyone in Western Australian Parliament including the Premier Mark McGowan, as well as a lot of rugby fans that live elsewhere.
republican
Guest
.......& Perths is a much larger economy than Canberra. This is a spurious and extremely limited criteria to grow sport because it gives NO weight to the capital of culture.........
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Exactly correct.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
If any of them worked for me they'd have been sacked long ago.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Nope. Milan has repeatedly demonstrated with his unwanted interjections from afar that he clearly doesn't know anything about rugby in WA so his is opinion on anything to do with WA is irrelevant.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Newer team in a larger and more expensive media market, of course they received more money.
sittingbison
Guest
I think you are on the money CH He and a couple of his sockpuppets have commented elsewhere, nothing that invites argument. Keeping a very low profile. Obviously the information being extracted is starting to hurt them. Can't wait for them to launch into the Winney bid for the Rebels and the machinations to go with Cox at exhorbitant and ruinous expense. Getting Clarke and Clyne on the stand will be explain that will be great
concerned supporter
Guest
Hi Crazy Horse, Thanks to you,I have made contact with Senator Reynolds.I have sent her references to items signed off by the ARU Board which have been ignored when they recently published their "Timeline of Events" Fairfax press Article by Tom Decent: "http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/consultant-to-aru-says-governing-body-signed-death-knell-by-agreeing-to-super-rugby-expansion-20170922-gyn5t9.html " Two items from the article; "The comments come as former NSW Waratahs and Rugby Union Players' Association chief executive Greg Harris slammed the ARU for failing to take accountability for plunging rugby into a mess it could have avoided. " Consultant Colin Smith said about Cameron Clyne, ""[ARU chairman] Cameron Clyne said he wasn't involved in any of this process of going to the new competition. That's bullshit. He was there on the board when the decision was made by that board to go with a new Super Rugby competition and that's what frankly signed their death knell. "They adopted the ostrich management style: head in the sand and hope it goes away." Lets hope that Cameron Clyne is questioned on October 11.
RahRah
Roar Rookie
Yes there is a definite TWAS pattern emerging through all of this isn't there. Maybe Clarke at the Rebels has asked him not to expose a conflict of interest - oops it's a bit late now.
scottd
Guest
https://www.playersvoice.com.au/pek-cowan-stress-tears-and-a-club-ruined/
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
TWAS has probably been ordered to say nothing on this subject until the EARU gets the legal advice on the Senate's demand for documents. Then he'll be all over the Roar pushing the EARU line as always. BTW I can give that to them for free. The Senate has massive coercive powers and will get what it wants eventually. Save yourself the trouble and cooperate. There is no hiding from the Senate.
bert
Guest
Fat lady hasn't cleared her throat yet
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Bakkies! ~ Yeah I know that mate but as a latecomer to this Forum, I really think that old Milan thinks he can impart his pearls of wisdom on us old fogeys who've been beating their gums and banging away with arthrirtic fingers to keyboard for eons attempting to get a point across which on a lot of occasions it just doesn't happen! Keep at it Milan old son'. the sun may shine your way at some stage!
Bakkies
Guest
hear hear
Barry Crocker
Guest
Todd Day to AOC, Clarke to Rebels etc. Pulver will land on his feet somewhere in Corporate because of the networking that he will naturally have done over recent years, that's the way it works as we know... Perceptions of poor management or judgement won't be his achilles heel, however if he is found to have been dishonest/lied or to have breached confidentiality through the process he may have problems. Saw on the news that the WA Govt have just launched "OnBoard WA" as a means of sourcing new, fresh & external parties to various Boards in an effort to regain independence & invigorate same. Haven't investigated as yet... The cynic in me suggests it is most likely political point scoring rhetoric, however the premise sounds positive at least. With most Boards (particularly sporting), who realistically has the time to do it properly unless independently wealthy, hence ipso facto you will end up with a skewed representation in any case...
ScrumJunkie
Guest
Absolutely!
Stu B
Guest
The new WA government did not vote to hold a senate enquiry without good grounds.Should they prove the ARU to have been as dodgy as we believe they then will have solid grounds to recoup around $110m + expended on the Force base ground and utilities. To all you Force fan kickers, just think ahead a year or two as the Rebels will be next, contracting the rugby footprint, then the Brumbies may be marginalised and what have we?NSW and Q/land exactly where we were 130 years past BUT! we allowed NRL to flourish, huge competition from soccer , AFL and NZ super teams plus the ABs are just destroying our fabric and yet still no improvement while our rugby base is organised by fragmented underfunded well meaning volunteers. If you are to rugby shallow and gutless to support the Force predicament at least have decency to shut your gob.