Category: Facilities
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Long-term Plan for Major Sports Facilities in Canberra – Time to Stop the Band-aid Approach
By Greg Blood Canberra is at a critical time in relation to the future planning and investment in major sports facilities. A great deal of media and public discussion and several reports have been narrowly focussed on an outdoor stadium in the city. But there is also lobbying for housing at Thoroughbred Park, possible development…
australiansportreflections
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Sport and the 2022 Australian Federal Election
By Greg Blood Who said sport and politics don’t or should not mix? In many ways, sport and politics has become more intertwined in recent years. This has occurred through linking political/social issues such as same sex marriage, racism and climate change, “sport-barreling” and more recently transgender issues in sport. In 2021, Prime Minister Morrison…
australiansportreflections
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History of National Sports Facilities in Canberra
By Greg Blood An abridged version was published in the Canberra Times, 24 July 2021. The current stalemate between the Commonwealth Government and the ACT Government regarding the future of Canberra Stadium and the AIS Arena reinforces the historical influence of the Commonwealth Government on the development of major sports facilities in Canberra. The development…
australiansportreflections
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Reflections on the 2021/22 Commonwealth Government Budget for Sport
By Greg Blood ASC Budget Accountability Up until 2015/16 Commonwealth Government budget, the public had some idea about the division of Australian Sports Commission (or Sport Australia) funding between high performance and participation/sports organisations management. Budget papers stated appropriations for two ASC outcomes: Outcome 1 – Improved participation in structured physical activity, particularly organised sport,…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Sport in 2020 – ‘Unprecedented’ Year for Sport Administrators
by Greg Blood Australian sport administrators have been under enormous stress during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues. It is worthwhile to briefly document the many challenges managed during this ‘unprecedented’ year’. Sports Rorts The year started with the Australian National Audit Office report into Sport Australia’s Community Sport Infrastructure Program that…
australiansportreflections
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The Australian Institute of Sport Story 1981-2013
By Greg Blood. Originally published Clyde Street Blog, 15 May 2018. In December 2012, the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), as we know it, changed when the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) under Chair John Wylie launched its Australia’s Winning Edge 2012-2022 strategy. A major plank of the strategy was for the AIS to no longer directly manage…
australiansportreflections
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Sports Rorts II – A case of very bad politics not good policy
By Greg Blood. Originally published in The Footy Almanac, 12 February 2020. I have observed closely the last two Federal elections from a sporting perspective and found that both the Coalition and Labor have used ‘sport’ to promote their case for election to particularly marginal or contestable electorates. From the data I collected from the…
australiansportreflections
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2019 Federal election – a sport perspective
By Greg Blood. Originally published by The Footy Almanac, 22 May 2019. With the Federal election campaign now over and the Coalition retaining office, you may be interested in my reflections on how sport was utilised by the Coalition and Labor during the campaign. In the lead up to and during the campaign I closely…
australiansportreflections
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Should Governments fund AFL and NRL high performance centres?
By Greg Blood. Originally published in The Footy Almanac, 16 April 2019. The recent Morrison Federal Government budget announced $60m in funding for three AFL clubs (Brisbane, Carlton, Richmond) and one NRL club (North Queensland). This was followed up by the Morrison Government election announcement of $15m for the Adelaide Crows. These funding announcements generally…
australiansportreflections