❓ Mr. Rundle questions the Minister about WAIS cutting funding to Netball WA. The Minister defends WAIS's independence and highlights government support for netball through various initiatives, emphasising focus on Olympic/Paralympic sports.
AnsweredQoN 596Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN
INSTITUTE OF SPORT — NETBALL WA
596. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Sport and
Recreation:
Yesterday, in question time, the
Premier seemed oblivious to the mean-spirited decision by the Western Australian
Institute of Sport to cut funding to Netball WA. Perth-born netball champion,
Caitlin Bassett said —
� this is a frustrating and strange
decision and is a loss for some of our best up-and-coming athletes.
Yesterday, the Premier said that he would take future action
on this matter. What action has the minister and the Premier taken —
Point of Order
Dr A.D. BUTI : I just ask for a ruling in regard to
standing order 77(2), that questions should not be repetitive.
The SPEAKER : I am listening to the question and I am
allowing it at this point in time.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : What future action will the minister
and the Premier take to save this program at WAIS and the most popular female
sport in WA?
INSTITUTE OF SPORT — NETBALL WA
596. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Sport and
Recreation:
Yesterday, in question time, the
Premier seemed oblivious to the mean-spirited decision by the Western Australian
Institute of Sport to cut funding to Netball WA. Perth-born netball champion,
Caitlin Bassett said —
� this is a frustrating and strange
decision and is a loss for some of our best up-and-coming athletes.
Yesterday, the Premier said that he would take future action
on this matter. What action has the minister and the Premier taken —
Point of Order
Dr A.D. BUTI : I just ask for a ruling in regard to
standing order 77(2), that questions should not be repetitive.
The SPEAKER : I am listening to the question and I am
allowing it at this point in time.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : What future action will the minister
and the Premier take to save this program at WAIS and the most popular female
sport in WA?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question and acknowledge that I was
not able to be here yesterday because I was opening a conference for international
education. However, I am pleased that the question has been asked. Can I just
make sure that everyone understands the role of WAIS? As the member knows, when
I did the review of WAIS a year or so ago,
one of the things he was concerned about was its independence. He was concerned
about making sure that WAIS was not brought into government hands, and
that it would remain an independent statutory
authority. That is what it is and what it should be. I highlight to him that
WAIS's responsibilities include high performance, and, as the
member knows, it is a signatory to the Australian Sports Commission high
performance 2032 strategy, which is underpinned by the principle of
prioritising Olympic and Paralympic sports. It is its key principle.
WAIS provides support for individual sports. Yes, it has, for
some time, been supporting netball as an individual sport along with some
others, but it also provides programs for individual athletes and will continue
to do that for individual athletes in netball. My understanding is that it was
a difficult decision by the independent WAIS board to no longer support the
sport as one of its entities, as it does. I need to highlight to the member the
sports that are n ot supported by WAIS. They
include tennis; softball; triathlon; rugby and rugby sevens; volleyball;
skating; surfing ; artistic swimming;
football, which is the round ball game; sport climbing; lacrosse; baseball;
combat sports; cricket ; water polo;
and equestrian. They are not included as sports under WAIS. The ones included
are swimming, a thletics, cycling, rowing, hockey, sailing, wheelchair
basketball, women's basketball, canoeing and diving—Olympic and
Paralympic sports.
As a result of the decision made by WAIS, I have asked the
department to work with Netball WA. There is no stronger supporter of netball
in Western Australia than this government. I do not think the member has been
to any West Coast Fever games this year. I have not seen him. Did he go to any games
this year?
Mr P.J. Rundle : Only one.
The SPEAKER : Minister, please get on with your answer.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : I go to most of them. I have been
to most of them, because I support netball very strongly. As we know, since
2017 this government has demonstrated its support. Because it is important, I will
go through this government's continuing support of netball going
forward: $1.3 million to individual community infrastructure projects
benefiting netball; over $170 00 in funding to children of the member's
electorate to access many netball courts through the KidSport voucher; since
2018, $28.2 million towards the Western Australian com munity infrastructure projects; the community sporting and recreation
facilities fund scheme; and $14.5 million for CSRF funding for the night
lights program. I have been out to many member's electorates in my term
as Minister for Sport and Recreation and seen the magnificent, improved
facilities for netball going forward. Why? It is because we know that more and
more girls and now some boys and men are beginning to play the game. That is tremendous. This government has committed $550 000
towards the Constellation Cup, which will be held on 27 October. The
Silver Ferns will play Australia for the first time in five years in Perth, at
RAC Arena. Support of netball remains strong.
What I will not do is interfere with an independent body, but
I will make sure that I keep talking to Netball WA and the Western Australian
Institute of Sport, because, even though a decision has been made about the
sport, individual athletes will be able to access the WAIS program, as a number
of them do, from the sports highlighted that are not supported as a total
sport. Going forward, we will make sure that we support the programs that have
pathways; for example, the academies in regional areas that allow athletes in
regional Western Australia to have a pathway through a range of sports will
continue, and we will ensure that WAIS focuses on its role of supporting
high-performance athletes. Through the department, I will be having further
conversations with Netball WA, with which I have a brilliant relationship,
about how we can allow it to adjust, if you like, to its current circumstances.
I am very confident that any young girl, young woman or, indeed, young man who
shows talent and intends to play netball has a very, very strong and
well-resourced trajectory in this state. If they are a young woman, I want them
to play for West Coast Fever, because the sport is growing and will continue to
grow, and it has my utmost support going forward. It has the government's
support and we have a track record to demonstrate it.
not able to be here yesterday because I was opening a conference for international
education. However, I am pleased that the question has been asked. Can I just
make sure that everyone understands the role of WAIS? As the member knows, when
I did the review of WAIS a year or so ago,
one of the things he was concerned about was its independence. He was concerned
about making sure that WAIS was not brought into government hands, and
that it would remain an independent statutory
authority. That is what it is and what it should be. I highlight to him that
WAIS's responsibilities include high performance, and, as the
member knows, it is a signatory to the Australian Sports Commission high
performance 2032 strategy, which is underpinned by the principle of
prioritising Olympic and Paralympic sports. It is its key principle.
WAIS provides support for individual sports. Yes, it has, for
some time, been supporting netball as an individual sport along with some
others, but it also provides programs for individual athletes and will continue
to do that for individual athletes in netball. My understanding is that it was
a difficult decision by the independent WAIS board to no longer support the
sport as one of its entities, as it does. I need to highlight to the member the
sports that are n ot supported by WAIS. They
include tennis; softball; triathlon; rugby and rugby sevens; volleyball;
skating; surfing ; artistic swimming;
football, which is the round ball game; sport climbing; lacrosse; baseball;
combat sports; cricket ; water polo;
and equestrian. They are not included as sports under WAIS. The ones included
are swimming, a thletics, cycling, rowing, hockey, sailing, wheelchair
basketball, women's basketball, canoeing and diving—Olympic and
Paralympic sports.
As a result of the decision made by WAIS, I have asked the
department to work with Netball WA. There is no stronger supporter of netball
in Western Australia than this government. I do not think the member has been
to any West Coast Fever games this year. I have not seen him. Did he go to any games
this year?
Mr P.J. Rundle : Only one.
The SPEAKER : Minister, please get on with your answer.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : I go to most of them. I have been
to most of them, because I support netball very strongly. As we know, since
2017 this government has demonstrated its support. Because it is important, I will
go through this government's continuing support of netball going
forward: $1.3 million to individual community infrastructure projects
benefiting netball; over $170 00 in funding to children of the member's
electorate to access many netball courts through the KidSport voucher; since
2018, $28.2 million towards the Western Australian com munity infrastructure projects; the community sporting and recreation
facilities fund scheme; and $14.5 million for CSRF funding for the night
lights program. I have been out to many member's electorates in my term
as Minister for Sport and Recreation and seen the magnificent, improved
facilities for netball going forward. Why? It is because we know that more and
more girls and now some boys and men are beginning to play the game. That is tremendous. This government has committed $550 000
towards the Constellation Cup, which will be held on 27 October. The
Silver Ferns will play Australia for the first time in five years in Perth, at
RAC Arena. Support of netball remains strong.
What I will not do is interfere with an independent body, but
I will make sure that I keep talking to Netball WA and the Western Australian
Institute of Sport, because, even though a decision has been made about the
sport, individual athletes will be able to access the WAIS program, as a number
of them do, from the sports highlighted that are not supported as a total
sport. Going forward, we will make sure that we support the programs that have
pathways; for example, the academies in regional areas that allow athletes in
regional Western Australia to have a pathway through a range of sports will
continue, and we will ensure that WAIS focuses on its role of supporting
high-performance athletes. Through the department, I will be having further
conversations with Netball WA, with which I have a brilliant relationship,
about how we can allow it to adjust, if you like, to its current circumstances.
I am very confident that any young girl, young woman or, indeed, young man who
shows talent and intends to play netball has a very, very strong and
well-resourced trajectory in this state. If they are a young woman, I want them
to play for West Coast Fever, because the sport is growing and will continue to
grow, and it has my utmost support going forward. It has the government's
support and we have a track record to demonstrate it.
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