Category: Facilities
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Federal and State Governments funding of AFL and NRL High Performance Training Centres – Updated 28 May 2025
By Greg Blood This is an update of research originally published in April 2019. It highlights how the majority of professional AFL and NRL clubs have now received substantial federal and state government funding to develop their high-performance training centres. The 2019 federal election was a high-water mark in funding commitments – a period where…
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Re-elected Albanese Government: Reflecting on Upcoming Sport Issues from a Historical Perspective
By Greg Blood The return of the Albanese government has led to the reappointment of Anika Wells as the Minister for Sport and new Minister for Communications and the move of sport functions to Dept. of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. This article reflects on these changes from an historical and…
australiansportreflections
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Sport and the 2025 Australian Federal Election – Final
By Greg Blood This article follows 2019 and 2022 reviews on sport issues and commitments related to Australian federal elections. Previous Australian federal elections reviewed highlighted the significant number of sport facility commitments made by the ALP and Coalition. Many of these related to improving sports facilities for girls and women. Going into the 2025…
australiansportreflections
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Albanese Government Endorses the Independent Review into the Australian Institute of Sport.
By Greg Blood The Independent Review Report highlights the reasons for the 249.7 million investment into the “spine of Australian sport – the AIS in Canberra. The last major investment into AIS facilities in Canberra was in the 2002 Howard Government budget where $65 million was allocated over six years for the development of –…
australiansportreflections
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Can we finally have the future of the AIS in Canberra settled?
By Greg Blood The Albanese government has announced an independent review to determine the future of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra. Since Australia’s Winning Edge 2012-2022, the AIS in Canberra has been in limbo – that’s ten years. The review apparently will be finished by the end of the year. It is…
australiansportreflections
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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