❓ Mr. Watson questions the Minister for Sport and Recreation about future funding for WA football if the WAFC doesn't manage the new Perth Stadium. The Minister assures that football's strength will be maintained regardless of who wins the tender.
AnsweredQoN 391Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WEST
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL COMMISSION — BURSWOOD STADIUM
391. Mr P.B. WATSON to the Minister for
Sport and Recreation:
My question was to the Premier, but
he is too gutless to answer. I refer to the funding —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I call you to order for the second time. Member
for Albany, let us get this question done.
Mr
P.B. WATSON : My question without notice is to the Minister for Sport and
Recreation. I refer to funding for the West Australian Football Commission
under its current management arrangement at Subiaco Oval, which sees
approximately $15 million made available each year for the benefit of
approximately 170 000 football participants in our state, and the consideration
of the new arrangement at the new Perth Stadium. If the West Australian
Football Commission is not awarded the management of the new stadium, what
funding arrangements will the minister put in place to ensure the future of
Western Australian footy?
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL COMMISSION — BURSWOOD STADIUM
391. Mr P.B. WATSON to the Minister for
Sport and Recreation:
My question was to the Premier, but
he is too gutless to answer. I refer to the funding —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I call you to order for the second time. Member
for Albany, let us get this question done.
Mr
P.B. WATSON : My question without notice is to the Minister for Sport and
Recreation. I refer to funding for the West Australian Football Commission
under its current management arrangement at Subiaco Oval, which sees
approximately $15 million made available each year for the benefit of
approximately 170 000 football participants in our state, and the consideration
of the new arrangement at the new Perth Stadium. If the West Australian
Football Commission is not awarded the management of the new stadium, what
funding arrangements will the minister put in place to ensure the future of
Western Australian footy?
AnswerView source ↗
I was actually going to get to that part of the answer, but I
thought the member was also referring to the equalisation, which is something
that concerns me, and I have been talking to Frank Cooper about that.
As the member knows, I worked for the football commission and
I know how it runs —
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany!
Mr T.K. WALDRON : I
am just telling the member that I have a little background knowledge in the
area; I do not claim to —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale! Member for Gosnells!
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
The West Australian Football Commission, through the management of Subiaco Oval
and through its ownership of the two West Australian Football League sides, is
able to distribute funding to football in Western Australia. That benefits
football at all levels, and it is important for that benefit to continue,
particularly in the areas of talent development and pathways for young
footballers. My point is that, having managed country football for 10 years, I
am well aware of that situation and the need for it.
As for the operator of the new stadium, as I have said 100 times,
we will be going out to tender for that, and I am sure that the WAFC will be
one of the applicants. In a while we will have a debate about making sure that
we get the best result for taxpayers; that is what we will do, but we will also
ensure that football remains strong in this state. At the moment, the user
groups and the joint football working group are in consultation with our
steering committee on the user agreements—not the management agreements—which
are really important. One thing I think we were really smart in doing was that
right at the start of the planning for the stadium we involved football —
Several members interjected.
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
The member asked me the question. Does he want to listen to the answer? Thank
you.
Gill McLachlan, chief executive officer of the AFL, is
heading up the joint football working group, with representatives from all
levels of football in Western Australia. We have done this in association with
football, and the relationship we have is very strong. If members opposite think
that I, as sports minister, or the Premier —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first time.
Member for Albany, you have been called twice already.
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : The Premier and I, when we have met with WAFC on an ongoing
basis over the last five or six years as we have gone through this process,
have always said that we will make sure that we keep football strong in Western
Australia. It may end up winning the tender and end up operating the stadium; I
do not know. It may be someone else. We will have to wait and see.
thought the member was also referring to the equalisation, which is something
that concerns me, and I have been talking to Frank Cooper about that.
As the member knows, I worked for the football commission and
I know how it runs —
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany!
Mr T.K. WALDRON : I
am just telling the member that I have a little background knowledge in the
area; I do not claim to —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale! Member for Gosnells!
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
The West Australian Football Commission, through the management of Subiaco Oval
and through its ownership of the two West Australian Football League sides, is
able to distribute funding to football in Western Australia. That benefits
football at all levels, and it is important for that benefit to continue,
particularly in the areas of talent development and pathways for young
footballers. My point is that, having managed country football for 10 years, I
am well aware of that situation and the need for it.
As for the operator of the new stadium, as I have said 100 times,
we will be going out to tender for that, and I am sure that the WAFC will be
one of the applicants. In a while we will have a debate about making sure that
we get the best result for taxpayers; that is what we will do, but we will also
ensure that football remains strong in this state. At the moment, the user
groups and the joint football working group are in consultation with our
steering committee on the user agreements—not the management agreements—which
are really important. One thing I think we were really smart in doing was that
right at the start of the planning for the stadium we involved football —
Several members interjected.
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
The member asked me the question. Does he want to listen to the answer? Thank
you.
Gill McLachlan, chief executive officer of the AFL, is
heading up the joint football working group, with representatives from all
levels of football in Western Australia. We have done this in association with
football, and the relationship we have is very strong. If members opposite think
that I, as sports minister, or the Premier —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first time.
Member for Albany, you have been called twice already.
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : The Premier and I, when we have met with WAFC on an ongoing
basis over the last five or six years as we have gone through this process,
have always said that we will make sure that we keep football strong in Western
Australia. It may end up winning the tender and end up operating the stadium; I
do not know. It may be someone else. We will have to wait and see.
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