Category: Government Policy
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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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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Stanley Bruce
By Greg Blood STANLEY MELBOURNE BRUCE CH MC PC NATIONALIST PARTY & UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY 8th Prime Minister – 1923-1929 Stanley Bruce is regarded as the first prime minister to actively engage in sport during his political career. He had a lifetime commitment to sport, particularly rowing and golf. As prime minster, he regarded regularly…
australiansportreflections
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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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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – John Gorton
By Greg Blood SIR JOHN GREY GORTON GCMG AC CH LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA 19th Prime Minister: 1968-1971 John Grey Gorton became prime minister with the unexpected tragic death of Harold Holt. In his three years as prime minister, Gorton highlighted that community sport was important for health, social cohesion and assimilation. This view most…
australiansportreflections
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Reflecting on David Crawford’s Contribution to the Australian Sport System
By Greg Blood The recent passing of David Crawford AO made me reflect on four sport reviews that he authored or chaired that have impacted on sport in Australia. For many of those that worked in sports administration from 1990 to 2011, the name David Crawford became synonymous with sport governance and the organisation of…
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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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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Harold Holt
By Greg Blood HAROLD HOLT LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA 17th Prime Minister: 1966–1967 Harold Holt had a passion for health and fitness and this led to several Australian Government initiatives during his time in leadership positions. Holt as prime minister upheld the Menzies Government view that government should have a limited involvement in sport. His…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Andrew Fisher
By Greg Blood ANDREW FISHER – AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 5th Prime Minister (1908–1909; 1910–1913; 1914–1915) Andrew Fisher viewed sport and physical fitness in terms of nationalism. The physical fitness of Australian men would be important in defending the new nation and the Olympic Games could help promote physical fitness and the nation on the…
australiansportreflections
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Play Well Strategy- a New Journey in Sport Participation in Australia
By Greg Blood Play Well is the latest Australian Sports Commission (ASC) attempt at improving sports participation in Australia. Its worthwhile reflecting on its journey to this strategy. Play Well (Pdf) is stated as Australia’s first co-designed Sport Participation Strategy. It was co-designed with major players in the sport sector.Play Well covers all the areas…
australiansportreflections