Category: Politics
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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 – 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…
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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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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
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Vale Jim Ferguson (1940-2026) – Australian Sports Commission’s Longest Serving Chief Executive Officer (1990-2000)
By Greg Blood Jim Ferguson played a significant role in the development of the Australian sport system in the lead up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games. He was the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) from June 1990 to December 2000. Prior to his appointment to the ASC, Ferguson…
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Edmund Barton
By Greg Blood EDMUND BARTON PROTECTIONIST PARTY 1st Prime Minister: 1901-1903 Edmund Barton, Australia’s first prime minister, had a significant connection with sport as a cricketer and rower and then as an administrator in cricket and rugby union. His involvement in sport occurred when sport in the New South Wales colony was becoming more organised and…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – George Reid
By Greg Blood SIR GEORGE HOUSTAIN REID,HOUSTAIN KCMG, KC LIBERAL FREE TRADE PARTY 4th Prime Minister: 1904-1905 George Reid combined his political career in the New South Wales and federal parliaments with his time as president as NSW Cricket Association. He ceased his involvement with cricket administration by the time he became Australia’s fourth prime minister…
australiansportreflections
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1980 Australian Olympic Basketball Team
By Perry (Rocky) Crosswhite – Basketball Team Captain, 1980 Australian Olympic Games Team A squad of players were chosen in mid-1979 with the object of selecting and preparing players for the Australian Olympic Basketball team to compete at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. These players commenced training and undertook a series of scheduled games against international…
australiansportreflections