Category: Author – Greg Blood
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series
By Greg Blood This series profiles every Australian prime minister and their interest in and contribution to the development of sport in Australia. It is often stated that politics and politics don’t or should not mix. This series will highlight how they do mix and interact particularly since 1970 when the Australian Government established a…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Bob Hawke
By Greg Blood ROBERT ‘BOB’ LEE HAWKE AC – AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 23nd Prime Minister – 1983-1991 Bob Hawke and his government significantly enhanced the federal government’s support for sport through the establishment of the Australian Sports Commission, Australian Sports Drug Agency, Australian Sports Foundation and expansion of the Australian Institute of Sport. Hawke’s genuine…
australiansportreflections
Australian Football, Australian Institute of Sport, Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series, Australian Sports Commission, Author – Greg Blood, Commonwealth Games, Cricket, Doping, Golf, Government Policy, Hawke Government, High Performance Sport, History, Horse racing, Minister for Sport – John Brown, Olympic Games, Politics, Tennis, Uncategorized -
Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Malcolm Fraser
MALCOLM FRASER AC CH PC – – LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA 22nd Prime Minister – 1975-1983 Malcolm Fraser had a significant impact on Australian sport through investing in high performance sport for the first time through establishing the Australian Institute of Sport and upholding the Gleneagles Agreement that discouraged sporting contacts with South Africa. His…
australiansportreflections
Australian Institute of Sport, Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series, Author – Greg Blood, Commonwealth Games, Fraser Government, Funding, Government Policy, High Performance Sport, History, Minister – Bob Ellicott, Minister for Sport – Ian Wilson, Minister for Sport – Kevin Newman, Olympic Games, Politics -
Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Robert Menzies
SIR ROBERT GORDON MENZIES – LIBERAL PARTY of AUSTRALIA 12th Prime Minister – 1939-1941, 1949-1966 It is argued that Robert ‘Bob’ Menzies to date has been the Australian prime minister with the greatest interest in sport particularly cricket, tennis and Australian football. He understood how sport, particularly international sporting contests, was important in maintaining relationships…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – John Curtin
By Greg Blood JOHN CURTIN – AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 14th Prime Minister – 1941-1945 John Curtin was prime minister for the majority of World War II and believed that the continuation of sport was important as long as it did not unduly impact on the war effort. Curtin had a strong connection to sport as…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – William Hughes
By Greg Blood WILLIAM MORRIS HUGHES Australian Socialist League (1891), Labor (to 1916), National Labor (1916–17), Nationalist (1917–29) Independent (1929), Australian (1929–31), United Australia (1931–44), Independent (1944–45) 7th Prime Minister – 1915-1923 William ‘Billy’ Hughes was prime minister during World War I and strongly advocated for sportsmen to enlist particularly after significant deaths, injuries and…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Alfred Deakin
By Greg Blood ALFRED DEAKIN PROTECTIONIST / LIBERAL PARTY 2nd Prime Minister: 1903-1904, 1905-1908, 1909-1910 Alfred Deakin understood the importance of exercise and as prime minister was a regular cyclist. Through his published newspaper articles, he understood the importance of sport in the new nation through the lens of character development, physical fitness and links…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Joseph Cook
By Greg Blood SIR JOSEPH COOK, GCMG LIBERAL PARTY 6th Prime Minister: 1913-1914 Joseph Cook was prime minister for just over a year and had a limited impact on sport in Australia. Cook viewed the participation at the Olympic Games as a way of promoting Australia’s identity internationally. Like his predecessors, he observed that sport…
australiansportreflections
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Notable Australian Sporting Deaths in 2026 – Updated 28 October 2026
List of notable Australian sportspeople that died in 2026. These people have contributed significantly to their sport and Australian sport in playing, coaching, administration or media roles. List will be updated during 2026 when deaths become known. Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF) members – Garry Daly OAM, Pat Clohessy AM, Eric Pearce Administration Athletics Australian Football…
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – James Scullin
By Greg Blood JAMES HENRY SCULLIN AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 9th Prime Minister – 1929-1932 James “Jim’ Scullin had an interest in sport particularly Australian football, cricket and lawn bowls but it was more limited than several of the early prime ministers including Edmund Barton, George Reid and Stanley Bruce. He supported the Richmond Football Club that…
australiansportreflections