❓ Dr. Buti asks about the McGowan government's support for WA athletes competing in the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, and how it compares to previous support. The Minister outlines a new direct funding program of $4,000 per athlete.
AnsweredQoN 649Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC
GAMES 2020 — WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ATHLETES —STATE GOVERNMENT
SUPPORT
649. Dr A.D. BUTI to the Minister for Sport and Recreation:
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how the McGowan Labor government is supporting
those aiming to compete at the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in particular
by ensuring that funding from Western Australia goes to Western Australian
athletes?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this compares with the way Western Australian
athletes have been previously supported?
The SPEAKER : Can you get it
backdated?
Several members interjected.
GAMES 2020 — WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ATHLETES —STATE GOVERNMENT
SUPPORT
649. Dr A.D. BUTI to the Minister for Sport and Recreation:
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how the McGowan Labor government is supporting
those aiming to compete at the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in particular
by ensuring that funding from Western Australia goes to Western Australian
athletes?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this compares with the way Western Australian
athletes have been previously supported?
The SPEAKER : Can you get it
backdated?
Several members interjected.
AnswerView source ↗
Thank you, member. It is a very
good question. It is very good to have a question in this house about sport
that has not been written by Ron Alexander! Think that one out. I am sure the
member for South Perth knows exactly what I am talking about.
(1)–(2) With
a year to go to Tokyo 2020, the Premier and I recently announced the details of
a new direct funding program for Western Australian Olympic and Paralympic
athletes—a first for Western Australia. This came about after a function
I was at, when a little gentleman with a portly shape came across the room. I thought,
''I'm nailed here'', and I was. I was nailed by a fundraiser
for the Olympic committee, saying, ''You haven't done your
share.'' I said, ''Hang on; what is our share for Western Australian
athletes?'' He could not answer me. He said that it goes on how we
perform over the year. That meant that people in our community working so hard
to achieve Olympic selection—not necessarily to win a medal—were
being discriminated against. Along with the Premier, we decided to give direct
funding of $4 000 for each person selected for the Olympic team—directly
to that person. That means that in the lead-in to the Olympics, those people
can choose what they wish to do with that money—they could use it for
airfares and competing at important events in the lead-up, on the way through.
I think that will help those people to be able to compete at the highest level.
It is not only the Western Australian government that has taken this on;
Queensland has also done that. We do not want to see the money being wasted and
utilised by groups for travelling around trying to get funding. It is important
that the community of Western Australia also gets behind the Western Australian
athletes and all the fundraisers. Let us give those athletes every possible
chance to be out there competing at their best and not worrying too much about
how they are going to pay for their next airfare. I call on all Western Australians
to support our Olympic team, as the Western Australian government has done.
Mr J.E. McGrath interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
South Perth, you should be behind this. Well done, minister. It is a shame that
it is not backdated, but still.
good question. It is very good to have a question in this house about sport
that has not been written by Ron Alexander! Think that one out. I am sure the
member for South Perth knows exactly what I am talking about.
(1)–(2) With
a year to go to Tokyo 2020, the Premier and I recently announced the details of
a new direct funding program for Western Australian Olympic and Paralympic
athletes—a first for Western Australia. This came about after a function
I was at, when a little gentleman with a portly shape came across the room. I thought,
''I'm nailed here'', and I was. I was nailed by a fundraiser
for the Olympic committee, saying, ''You haven't done your
share.'' I said, ''Hang on; what is our share for Western Australian
athletes?'' He could not answer me. He said that it goes on how we
perform over the year. That meant that people in our community working so hard
to achieve Olympic selection—not necessarily to win a medal—were
being discriminated against. Along with the Premier, we decided to give direct
funding of $4 000 for each person selected for the Olympic team—directly
to that person. That means that in the lead-in to the Olympics, those people
can choose what they wish to do with that money—they could use it for
airfares and competing at important events in the lead-up, on the way through.
I think that will help those people to be able to compete at the highest level.
It is not only the Western Australian government that has taken this on;
Queensland has also done that. We do not want to see the money being wasted and
utilised by groups for travelling around trying to get funding. It is important
that the community of Western Australia also gets behind the Western Australian
athletes and all the fundraisers. Let us give those athletes every possible
chance to be out there competing at their best and not worrying too much about
how they are going to pay for their next airfare. I call on all Western Australians
to support our Olympic team, as the Western Australian government has done.
Mr J.E. McGrath interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
South Perth, you should be behind this. Well done, minister. It is a shame that
it is not backdated, but still.
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