❓ Mrs. O'Malley questions the Minister for Sport and Recreation regarding the government's response to the Public Accounts Committee's report on the West Australian Football Commission's use of state funding. The Minister acknowledges the report's findings, highlighting challenges around sustainability, power distribution, and player welfare.
AnsweredQoN 967Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WEST AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL COMMISSION — STATE
FUNDING
967. Mrs L.M. O'MALLEY to the Minister for Sport and
Recreation:
I would first like to acknowledge
the president of East Fremantle Football Club and guests in the Speaker's
gallery.
I refer to the Public Accounts
Committee's recent report into the use of state funding by the West
Australian Football Commission. Can the minister update the house on his
response to the report and its findings?
Mr S.A. Millman : Great
question!
The SPEAKER : Thank you,
member for Mount Lawley.
Mr M.P. Murray : Will you give
me the call?
The SPEAKER : Yes; I will give
you the call for the last time. My mate Mick.
FUNDING
967. Mrs L.M. O'MALLEY to the Minister for Sport and
Recreation:
I would first like to acknowledge
the president of East Fremantle Football Club and guests in the Speaker's
gallery.
I refer to the Public Accounts
Committee's recent report into the use of state funding by the West
Australian Football Commission. Can the minister update the house on his
response to the report and its findings?
Mr S.A. Millman : Great
question!
The SPEAKER : Thank you,
member for Mount Lawley.
Mr M.P. Murray : Will you give
me the call?
The SPEAKER : Yes; I will give
you the call for the last time. My mate Mick.
AnswerView source ↗
I promise not to cry. Thank you very
much for that question. It is a very important question on where we go with
football into the future. Although the Department of Local Government, Sport
and Cultural Industries has not had the time to prepare a formal response to
the report and its findings since it was released just recently, it would be
remiss of me not to provide some comment because I will not be here in the
future, and also Parliament will rise.
The committee itself identified the
complexity, breadth and importance of football and the significant changes that
have occurred since the creation of the West Australian Football Commission in
1989. I make the comment that in 1990, there was another press release that
sounded very similar to the problem that we have had in recent times. Sometimes
we see the full circle go around, and we are back there again. As we know,
Aussie Rules has a strong brand recognition
and loyalty, which benefited football in WA through revenue from the Eagles and
the Dockers, but this has come at the cost of the identity and
recognition of the West Australian Football League as the pre-eminent
competition in Western Australia. A lot of clubs have struggled with not being
the number one entity in the state, and many people recognise that. But it has
a challenge. The challenge for the West Australian Football League is how it
remains sustainable, how it creates a following, and, as outlined in the
committee's report, whether this could be through things such as a return
to the Colts—there is movement in the station on that area already—or
be totally responsible for junior football so that it has an identity on the
way through.
The report also shows that the
government's process with the WAFC is about as complicated as it gets.
Even today, I shake my head that it was able to be put into place. It is
something that the WAFC has expressed a desire to change. However, as it is an
incorporated body, the only way it can change is if those with the existing
power—the AFL clubs, the WAFL clubs and the commissioners—agree
to relinquish the power and redistribute it to others. As we know, that will be
a very difficult task for anyone in that area. It would be very strange to say,
''We're going to give away
our power.'' If we have a look at the voting rights in there, something
has to change. It is the same for the Eagles and Dockers. They were not
created as clubs, as some VFL clubs were; they were formed as businesses. The
Eagles and Dockers are wholly owned by the WAFC. The general public are not in
fact members but season ticket holders because they are businesses. Again, as
the report shows, this can change, but there needs to be a willingness to
implement change to give up that power.
When young players make it through the
AFL draft but do not make the team and are essentially discarded, as we have
seen over the last couple of weeks in the draft system, the committee points
out: who is responsible? We have heard some tragic stories of kids who have
been drafted, do not quite get there and then fail when they go back into their
communities as well. That is something that really has to be looked at hard.
The added challenge is: how does an
organisation balance the diversity of the sport with the challenges of the
mental wellbeing of elite players who do not make it to provide participation
opportunities for young kids in not only communities, but also remote
communities? It is not simply a matter of funding. As the report shows, WAFC
receives more funds than any other sport, whether through grants or agreeing to
provide content at Optus Stadium. We all know that many smaller sports would
love to get the $11 million a year that comes from the stadium agreement. I have
been there when we have given cheques of $5 000 to some of those smaller sports
and they get down on their knees with gratitude, yet here we have the big boys
of town whingeing about how much they get. Those smaller clubs do a lot more
with far less in their time, something that the football commission and the
elite clubs must recognise. It becomes a matter of choice through informed
decision-making.
The report shows that the WAFC is
doing many good things for the community. The arguments in the report more relate to whether the choices that the WA Football
Commission is making are ones that the community feels it should be
making. It has lost touch with its community. It must work hard to get back and
gain that respect from many of those areas.
On female grassroots participation,
the report makes a number of observations, which I will take on board,
particularly the development of appropriate facilities to accommodate the
rapidly growing female participation numbers.
But I should point out that this increase in female participation has not been
reflected at the executive and board level of football in WA and I believe
it is incumbent on the WA Football Commission to lead by example.
Passion in sport is one of its greatest strengths and at
times its greatest weakness when passion overrides or clouds more logical judgement and process. Again, this is
highlighted throughout the report. Sport is not simple. The report confirms that, but there are crystal-clear areas
for improvement in transparency and representation decision-making.
The issues and challenges outlined
in this report also apply to many other larger sports in Australia, and the
pursuit to commercialise is a topic that has led to many robust conversations
nationally as to the future management of sport. I look forward to continuing
to monitor how the report progresses and the way the West Australian Football
League and the West Australian Football Commission use this opportunity to
reach common ground and reset Australian Rules football in Western Australia.
As many would be aware, most major
sports have had a major rethink and restructure due to COVID. This, along with
the parliamentary report, is a great opportunity for the WAFC to consider and
implement changes that will ensure a robust future for football in WA.
Point of Order
Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP : I appreciate
—
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! I will
hear the point of order.
Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP : I appreciate
that this is the minister's last response to a question, but it is a very
long answer. I ask that you ask him to tighten his response to the relevancy of
the question that was asked.
The SPEAKER : He was asked
about the football commission.
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : It is a very
long answer, Mr Speaker.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : That is good,
even with a threat. I have to think of the Clerk's ears when I use this
all the time. I think the member has had a pretty good whack there. Minister,
are you ready to finish?
Questions without Notice
Resumed
Mr M.P. MURRAY : Mr Speaker,
with due respect, may I finish my report —
The SPEAKER : Last one, yes.
Mr M.P. MURRAY : — by
saying thank you to everyone in the chamber. I wish you all a Merry Christmas.
The SPEAKER : And bah humbug
to you, member for Dawesville. I give the call to the member for Hillarys.
Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS : I am
glad that was not directed at me, Mr Speaker.
much for that question. It is a very important question on where we go with
football into the future. Although the Department of Local Government, Sport
and Cultural Industries has not had the time to prepare a formal response to
the report and its findings since it was released just recently, it would be
remiss of me not to provide some comment because I will not be here in the
future, and also Parliament will rise.
The committee itself identified the
complexity, breadth and importance of football and the significant changes that
have occurred since the creation of the West Australian Football Commission in
1989. I make the comment that in 1990, there was another press release that
sounded very similar to the problem that we have had in recent times. Sometimes
we see the full circle go around, and we are back there again. As we know,
Aussie Rules has a strong brand recognition
and loyalty, which benefited football in WA through revenue from the Eagles and
the Dockers, but this has come at the cost of the identity and
recognition of the West Australian Football League as the pre-eminent
competition in Western Australia. A lot of clubs have struggled with not being
the number one entity in the state, and many people recognise that. But it has
a challenge. The challenge for the West Australian Football League is how it
remains sustainable, how it creates a following, and, as outlined in the
committee's report, whether this could be through things such as a return
to the Colts—there is movement in the station on that area already—or
be totally responsible for junior football so that it has an identity on the
way through.
The report also shows that the
government's process with the WAFC is about as complicated as it gets.
Even today, I shake my head that it was able to be put into place. It is
something that the WAFC has expressed a desire to change. However, as it is an
incorporated body, the only way it can change is if those with the existing
power—the AFL clubs, the WAFL clubs and the commissioners—agree
to relinquish the power and redistribute it to others. As we know, that will be
a very difficult task for anyone in that area. It would be very strange to say,
''We're going to give away
our power.'' If we have a look at the voting rights in there, something
has to change. It is the same for the Eagles and Dockers. They were not
created as clubs, as some VFL clubs were; they were formed as businesses. The
Eagles and Dockers are wholly owned by the WAFC. The general public are not in
fact members but season ticket holders because they are businesses. Again, as
the report shows, this can change, but there needs to be a willingness to
implement change to give up that power.
When young players make it through the
AFL draft but do not make the team and are essentially discarded, as we have
seen over the last couple of weeks in the draft system, the committee points
out: who is responsible? We have heard some tragic stories of kids who have
been drafted, do not quite get there and then fail when they go back into their
communities as well. That is something that really has to be looked at hard.
The added challenge is: how does an
organisation balance the diversity of the sport with the challenges of the
mental wellbeing of elite players who do not make it to provide participation
opportunities for young kids in not only communities, but also remote
communities? It is not simply a matter of funding. As the report shows, WAFC
receives more funds than any other sport, whether through grants or agreeing to
provide content at Optus Stadium. We all know that many smaller sports would
love to get the $11 million a year that comes from the stadium agreement. I have
been there when we have given cheques of $5 000 to some of those smaller sports
and they get down on their knees with gratitude, yet here we have the big boys
of town whingeing about how much they get. Those smaller clubs do a lot more
with far less in their time, something that the football commission and the
elite clubs must recognise. It becomes a matter of choice through informed
decision-making.
The report shows that the WAFC is
doing many good things for the community. The arguments in the report more relate to whether the choices that the WA Football
Commission is making are ones that the community feels it should be
making. It has lost touch with its community. It must work hard to get back and
gain that respect from many of those areas.
On female grassroots participation,
the report makes a number of observations, which I will take on board,
particularly the development of appropriate facilities to accommodate the
rapidly growing female participation numbers.
But I should point out that this increase in female participation has not been
reflected at the executive and board level of football in WA and I believe
it is incumbent on the WA Football Commission to lead by example.
Passion in sport is one of its greatest strengths and at
times its greatest weakness when passion overrides or clouds more logical judgement and process. Again, this is
highlighted throughout the report. Sport is not simple. The report confirms that, but there are crystal-clear areas
for improvement in transparency and representation decision-making.
The issues and challenges outlined
in this report also apply to many other larger sports in Australia, and the
pursuit to commercialise is a topic that has led to many robust conversations
nationally as to the future management of sport. I look forward to continuing
to monitor how the report progresses and the way the West Australian Football
League and the West Australian Football Commission use this opportunity to
reach common ground and reset Australian Rules football in Western Australia.
As many would be aware, most major
sports have had a major rethink and restructure due to COVID. This, along with
the parliamentary report, is a great opportunity for the WAFC to consider and
implement changes that will ensure a robust future for football in WA.
Point of Order
Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP : I appreciate
—
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! I will
hear the point of order.
Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP : I appreciate
that this is the minister's last response to a question, but it is a very
long answer. I ask that you ask him to tighten his response to the relevancy of
the question that was asked.
The SPEAKER : He was asked
about the football commission.
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : It is a very
long answer, Mr Speaker.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : That is good,
even with a threat. I have to think of the Clerk's ears when I use this
all the time. I think the member has had a pretty good whack there. Minister,
are you ready to finish?
Questions without Notice
Resumed
Mr M.P. MURRAY : Mr Speaker,
with due respect, may I finish my report —
The SPEAKER : Last one, yes.
Mr M.P. MURRAY : — by
saying thank you to everyone in the chamber. I wish you all a Merry Christmas.
The SPEAKER : And bah humbug
to you, member for Dawesville. I give the call to the member for Hillarys.
Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS : I am
glad that was not directed at me, Mr Speaker.
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