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Canberra Today 14°/16° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Letters / Clubs’ community fund not ‘rigged’

THE Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education has launched an attack on community clubs, headlining a media release “Pokie Community Fund Rigged”. It included criticism of the contribution of community clubs to sport.

The community contributions scheme is not “rigged”, and the scheme recognises that clubs plough revenue back into the more than $500 million worth of assets under management – in large part to support sport and sporting infrastructure for all ACT residents.

The Gaming Machine Act 2004 charges the Gambling & Racing Commission to approve the contributions made by clubs (they audit them) for a stated purpose that will “have the effect of contributing to or supporting the development of the community or raising the community’s, or part of the community’s, standard of living.”

I don’t think any reasonable person would argue that spending on sport, from a grassroots level, such as junior footy, all the way up to an elite level, doesn’t lift our standard of living.

The territory budget for sport is more than $40 million, much of it allocated to elite and high-performance sport. Like clubs, the ACT government has wage and administration costs associated with the upkeep of 300 hectares of sporting grounds. They make money available – contribute, if you will – to the Territory’s budget to ensure that these important facilities are available and maintained.

That’s what governments do.

Accepting this, the question must be asked as to why we would treat the additional long-standing benefits provided by clubs differently from those who also provide these types of facilities.

Why would this not be regarded as a community contribution?

Like the government, ACT clubs are “not for profit” and seek solely to benefit the ACT community.

Clubs maintain more than 400 hectares of green-space for sporting use, six golf courses, 20 bowling greens, three cricket fields, five football fields, a yacht club, a basketball stadium, the race course, BMX track, many gymnasiums… and the list goes on.

The significant costs associated with the upkeep of these facilities are in large part under-reported for the purposes of the formal contributions scheme.

But even accepting this significant under-reporting of benefits, the reported spend via the formal contributions scheme has amounted to over $136 million since 2000.

The community contributions scheme acknowledges why clubs exist and where money is spent to benefit the broader community.

Surprisingly, some argue that the Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, spends too heavily on elite sports like AFL, but I would say that’s hogwash! It enriches our city, brings people together and has a significant flow-on effect for local business.

For families, it provides their children with encouragement to participate in social activities.

The Chief Minister, in supporting GWS, has laid a clear vision that contributes to our community enormously. There will be someone in our community who will dream about playing for GWS and they will get their start at a local club.

Gwyn Rees, chief executive, ClubsACT

 Tired of the arrogance

THANK you for the article “Dangerous dogs – much talk, little action” (CN, May 25). My favourite saying is; “The problem is at the other end of the leash” and this seems to be supported by the nature of debate about dog ownership in the ACT.

Since returning to Canberra last year, I’m astounded by the number of owners of all breeds who disregard the safeguards put in place by government and the position of John Hynes becomes understandable.

We’ve two dogs with histories of abuse, with years of work they have recovered and possess amazing temperaments (tested across a spectrum of stressful situations). However, one becomes scared when it is out walking on harness and is constantly approached by unleashed dogs whose owners always express upset when my dog barks at them. I’ve stepped in when both my dogs have been physically attacked – not something I’d recommend. Now a young mother, I’d rather not take the risk and exercise the dogs on private property.

I am a responsible dog owner and am tired of the arrogance/naivety of others who do not take the responsibility of pet ownership seriously. Please keep shining a light on this issue for the long-term benefit of everyone.

 Jess White, via email

 Bordering on the criminal

 I MUST write following your article “Dangerous dogs – much talk, little action” (CN, May 25). The article portrays a Mr John Hynes as nothing more than an armed thug – supported by a photograph showing this individual armed with a baseball bat and a hunting knife.

I can only hope that following your article, the authorities have visited Mr Hynes and made it very clear that displaying weapons in such a threatening manner and with clear intent to do harm, as quoted from your magazine’s interview, is firstly disgusting and secondly bordering on the criminal.

“CityNews” needs to lift its game big time. I look forward to reading much improved standards of journalism in future editions.

Michael Doyle, Fraser

 In defence of german shepherds

 WHY are you displaying a ferocious german shepherd dog on the front page of your May 25 edition when pit bulls are the subject of the two incidents detailed in the report?

The editor should be ashamed of himself for publishing such blatant hate mongering in relation to german shepherd dogs.

It reminds me of the early 1960s when I was walking a german shepherd puppy and people jumped back in horror when I told them that “the cute little puppy” was a german shepherd dog.

I didn’t think that British/Australian propaganda invented decades ago is still rampant in this country today.

 Klaus Inveen, via email

 Doing the terrorists’ job for them

 IN “The Daily Telegraph” of May 25 Miranda Divine quoted coroner Michael Barnes who criticised the consulting psychiatrist because he “underestimated the risk” Monis posed to the captives in the Lindt cafe, and said that Monis’ behaviour was “not consistent with Islamic State”.

The way the siege played out on the day proved him tragically wrong on the first count, but Man Monis’ actions and a brief examination of his history, showed that he was correct on the second.  

ISIS doesn’t have a history of siege taking, every ISIS attack has involved suicide either by bomb or in a hail of bullets, anonymous martyrdom being as much the object as the act of destruction.  

Monis deviated from both these modes of operation. He took hostages and drew maximum attention to himself in the process, only using the cause of IS to further his own sadistic/grandiose impulses.
George Orwell made the point that poor language leads to a dysfunctional political system. Journalists who add to the fear and anger by sloppy reasoning and sensationalist black and white morality are doing the terrorists’ job for them. Monis would be pleased.

 

Michael Jaffrey.  Ainslie

Meter miseries

 ActewAGL is at it again… four accounts almost identical despite the season and significant periods away on holiday.

Once again the latest bill is based on estimated meter readings! How can customers have any confidence in a completely discredited system based on estimates?

CEO Michael Costello finally admitted that his company had not handled the changes well. Apologies to his customers cost nothing. To make matters worse, the latest bill tells you how to read your own meter. What next, a supermarket-style self-checkout?

Does the company have any inspectors to read the meters?

 Rob Elder, Flynn.

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Ian Meikle, editor

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