The Nationals WA Business Breakfast Speech, Hon Terry Waldron.

Author: admin
Published on: 27-May-2010

19 May 2010, Burswood Entertainment Complex

It’s great to see the major sporting codes and sport and recreation industry groups represented here this morning – welcome to you all.

Those of you who know me well will know that I am passionate about a number of things – my family, my electorate and of course the mighty Claremont Tigers Football Club to name a few.
Ladies and gentleman, something I’m really passionate about however and the subject of my talk here with you this morning, are the challenges and pressures being faced by our local community based sport and recreation groups.

I’m going to take this opportunity to put these challenges, and their implications for our broader recreation industry and grass roots sporting participants and advocates, firmly on the Government’s policy agenda.

I am approaching the end of my second year as Minister for Sport and Recreation and can I say I feel enormously privileged to hold this office.

My portfolio presents me with a range of challenges but I am genuinely excited about the unique position I am in and the opportunity I have to effect meaningful change in our communities.
Ladies and gentleman, although facilities are not the focus of today’s speech it’s great to see the magnificent new athletics and basketball facilities currently on display at AK Reserve.
In addition - within twelve months we can expect the completion of the new rugby centre in Mt Claremont...

... and I was pleased on Saturday to be able to announce funding for the new State Netball Centre which will finally give one of our most popular sports a home base and the recognition netball rightly deserves .

Equally, I’m proud that the Government has delivered on its commitment to more than double the investment in Community Sport and Recreation infrastructure, raising the CSRFF fund from the previous government’s $9m to its current level of $20m.

This funding, in conjunction with the Royalties for Regions program is incredibly important to communities across the state.

And while I’m enormously proud of what we have done and continue to do with infrastructure development...

...what I’m here to talk to you about this morning are three issues that impact significantly on the broader sport and recreation industry and its associated stakeholders, of which many are represented here today.

As a proud member of the National Party, and a country member of parliament I have a real affinity for community sport, and importantly a clear understanding of the role sport and recreation plays in building and sustaining strong, healthy and vibrant communities.

I also understand however that no single topic can polarise the community more than the relationship between sport and alcohol.

The first issue I’d like to talk to today is the importance of pursuing a balanced approach to the issue of alcohol promotion and sponsorship of sport in Western Australia.

I know that with such a divisive issue I won’t be able to please everybody ... but what I hope to do today is establish a focus on balance and commonsense.

Secondly, I’d like to focus on some of the complex social problems faced by our Government and the contribution that sport can, and is making in addressing social disadvantage and inclusiveness across our state.

And I will close on an issue that I know many passionate sporting enthusiasts like myself feel strongly about; protection of key sporting events and fixtures on free to air television.

And equally as important, that WA sports fans not be disadvantaged by TV schedules developed around ‘interstate and commercial’ interests.

Ladies and gentleman, I’d like to preface my comments about sport sponsorship and alcohol companies by stressing that I don’t see any place for the liquor industry in the promotion and support of junior sport.

In fact I’d like to highlight the work that has been done by the Dept of Sport and Recreation in developing a position statement that clearly articulates the need to protect our young people from alcohol promotion and advertising.

However the value of the investment made by the liquor industry in senior community sport, through both metropolitan and regional Western Australia, is too significant too immediately discount.

While understanding the aims behind calls for bans on liquor promotion and sponsorship in sport, I say “don’t ban it, change the message”...

We have to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater...
I believe it’s important that government establishes a dialogue with all relevant stakeholders before rushing into a decision making process that will have serious implications for community sport.

We have all heard the arguments against linking sport with alcohol consumption.

And I agree that the images we see in the mainstream media of players and spectators behaving unsociably off the field aren’t a good look for sport.

However I have been involved in sport, from grass roots through to the professional level, for so many years.

And I have seen firsthand the collective value of sponsorship from the liquor and hospitality industry to sporting groups of all levels.

Country pubs for example play an important role in community sport.
They are so much more than just alcohol outlets. They are a place to meet, a sporting club, a facility for local community groups and a major sponsor...
...and these services and contributions are extremely important to small regional communities.

In an economic climate where local clubs and associations are finding it increasingly difficult to attract and retain sponsorship, it is incumbent on government to work with peak industry bodies to identify ways to provide support – not erect more barriers.

Liquor industry sponsorship of national sporting codes often provides a direct benefit to state and local competitions - with many state sporting associations receiving funding through their peak bodies, which often flows to their community clubs.

This in turn provides a great opportunity to promote responsible alcohol messages through the huge network sport provides.

Clearly, community groups would be the major losers from an alcohol promotion and sponsorship ban.

To offset major reductions in income, organisations will need to either increase participation fees, or decrease services.

Either way, it is likely to be the community football, netball or hockey player who will suffer; plus our army of sporting volunteers.

At the risk of labouring the point, I want to stress that we shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater... that is those clubs and volunteers and all they provide.
We don’t want to lose the opportunity to engage with and educate the community in a responsible manner...

We shouldn’t ban the message, we need to change the message.

No one will argue that alcohol abuse is a problem that confronts communities right around our state - in fact I deal with this issue consistently in my capacity as Minister responsible for Liquor Licensing...
...so we shouldn’t lose sight of the opportunity sport can play in engaging with community about responsible alcohol consumption.

I think back to my days with Country Football and reflect on how effective the sport was in promoting the Belt Up Message – particularly across regional WA.
It’s success was based on the ability to deliver the message to the 18-30 year old target group via country football’s huge state-wide network.

I think at this point it’s important to acknowledge the steps being taken within the sporting industry to provide leadership around responsible drinking.
Nationally, peak bodies such as Cricket Australia have identified a strong position on drinking responsibly;

And locally, the Department of Sport and Recreation and the Western Australian Sports Federation are developing a ‘responsible community member’ campaign about responsible decision making in relation to choices around alcohol and fast food consumption.

This managing alcohol responsibly framework for WA sporting clubs seeks to promote the responsible service and management of alcohol in the club environment... and by association in the broader community.

I firmly believe that a blanket ban on alcohol promotion and sponsorship is not the answer.
This is a complex issue that doesn’t have a simple answer but I would urge all concerned stakeholders that we need to adopt a balanced approach to this argument.
Let me be clear about the point I am making here – the Government does not advocate prohibition, stopping the promotion isn’t the answer...
...education is the key...
...It’s the message that needs to be changed.

While sport and alcohol seem to be intrinsically linked, less well understood is the role sport and recreation can play in helping to address the complex social issues being faced by our community.
You only have to glance through the first few pages of the weekend paper to be reminded that contemporary Western Australia is a very different place to live in that the one I grew up in.
We live in a time of changing work patterns, unprecedented development in our state, and a cultural shift away from a predominately European population.
What an exciting time to be in Government in WA and more importantly to be a member of the WA community during this period where the state is maturing and really standing on its own two feet.

With that maturation though come challenges; and these challenges are no more keenly felt than by the most vulnerable in our community...

...those from culturally and linguistically diverse populations, our indigenous West Australians and our young people from low socio economic backgrounds.

It gives me great satisfaction to see some of the tremendous work being undertaken to engage these groups and I’d like to highlight the role sport and recreation plays in creating a more inclusive and tolerant society.

As a boy growing up in the country I was acutely aware of the social problems and disconnectedness of our young indigenous men and women.

The Department of Sport and Recreation has led an initiative in Narrogin to engage the young indigenous people in leadership programs utilising sport and recreation as the carrot.
The focus of this program, the Narrogin Youth and Family Project Officer Project, is to rebuild trust and connectedness in the local community, and I am pleased to say is realising positive results.

Likewise the WA Sports Federation’s ‘Community Inclusion Officer Project’ is playing an active role in providing opportunities and raising awareness for people with a disability to participate in sport and recreation.

Of particular relevance to me through my other portfolio responsibilities, is the role sport can play in diverting young people away from participating in anti-social behaviour.
Much has been said about the level of antisocial behaviour at night in Northbridge and quite understandably the public is not comfortable with the outcomes... and yes, alcohol has a lot to do with it.

The important thing is ... what are we in the sport and recreation sector doing to help?
Importantly we are part of a much wider government approach working on a Northbridge strategy and it’s great to see that DSR has shown real leadership by implementing the ‘Northbridge Youth Engagement Program’.

This program aims to divert young people away from anti social behaviour... to sport, recreation and cultural activities on Friday and Saturday nights in Armadale and Midland.
The intent of this program is to reduce the incidence of young people being detained in Northbridge after the curfew is enacted, and I’m encouraged by the positive results we are starting to see.

The reason I’m particularly proud of this program is because it highlights the role sport and recreation can play in an area traditionally the domain of our police and social workers.

I would strongly encourage all sporting and recreation stakeholders here this morning to think about how we can utilise our respective organisations as a mechanism for engagement for disaffected and disadvantaged youth.

In short I am encouraged that sport and recreation is having a measureable impact in addressing the many social issues impacting on our communities.
I, together with DSR, will continue to focus on this area.

The final issue I would like to address today is the right of the broader Western Australian community to expect fair, timely and equitable access to free to air televised sporting events.
The pay TV genie is well and truly out of the bottle – and no one is suggesting that all sports be provided on free to air television.

In fact we should acknowledge the important role pay television has played in the growth and evolution of many of our sports through its contribution to national broadcasting rights deals.
However I feel strongly that the anti-syphoning scheme which provides for protection of certain events to be broadcast on free to air television, be continued in some fashion.

This will ensure the widest possible community access to sporting events that are considered to be of significant cultural and national importance.

It will be a sad day when the Kojonup under 12’s football club aren’t able to get together and watch the AFL grand final on a free to air broadcast.
And this leads me into my final discussion point this morning...
For too long Western Australian sporting fans have been treated with disregard by our local and national broadcasters.

We live in an age of instant news and communication yet local sports fans are often expected to wait until after a football game has been concluded before being able to view a delayed telecast of the match.

Ladies and gentleman I’m not so naive as to ignore the edict for commercial broadcasters to maximise their advertising revenue...

However surely there is a better balance than what Western Australian viewers are currently being asked to tolerate.

I’d encourage all our major leagues to consider their most important group of stakeholders when negotiating broadcast agreements...
Let’s make sure that Western Australians are given timely and equitable access to sporting broadcasts.
Ladies and gentleman, I’m aware that I have raised some issues this morning that will divide opinion...
And that’s okay, in fact it’s healthy to have the debate.

There is room in all of these issues for a robust discussion and I hope that we are able to see past our own self interest and act in the best interests of the people in our great state of Western Australia.

In closing I would like to emphasise that I feel strongly that we have over the years greatly underestimated the huge value of sport and recreation to our communities.

The longer I have lived and been involved in so many different ways with sport, the more convinced I am that sport and recreation contributes so much to addressing both the physical and mental health, and the social justice issues we face in our city and country communities.
Ladies and gentlemen thank you for listening ... it has been great to have this opportunity to talk to you on these very important issues.

It is also an opportunity for me today to hear from you ... and I welcome your comments and questions.

Thank you all for attending this morning and I will now open the floor...