ClubsACT is calling on the Labor/Greens government to lift the ban on a club’s capacity to claim men’s semi-professional and professional sport as a community contribution.

CEO Gwyn Rees said the former chief minister Jon Stanhope was correct to “bell the cat” in in his “CityNews” column (“Foul play as Labor attacks men’s sport”) that new community contribution arrangements discriminate on the basis of sex.

Stanhope wrote: “As anyone in Canberra who follows local politics is aware, Andrew Barr’s government, since the last election, has engaged in an almost ceaseless and I believe politically motivated, campaign against the clubs. Well, at least, against some of the clubs, namely those that dared to express the clearly treasonous view that perhaps it was time for a change of government.

“Clubs provide significant funding and other assistance to sporting groups for men and women, young and old. The latest attack by the government has been to direct that payments or support by community clubs towards men’s professional sport can no longer be counted as a community contribution. The relevant change to the ACT’s contribution scheme is obscure, complex and unique when compared with the approach taken by other states and territories to the contribution of clubs to sport.

“The clubs most affected by this change are those established for the sole purpose of supporting sport, including in some cases semi-professional or professional sporting teams. Precluding the support these clubs provide to men’s sport from being counted as a community contribution has potentially serious consequences for the viability of some teams and undermines the reason for which the club was established.”

“Clubs are not being asked to share contributions equitably between men’s and women’s
sport. They are being told that no contribution to semi-professional or professional men’s
sport will count, but any dollar spent on semi-professional or professional women’s sport
will count.”

He says ClubsACT continues to seek meetings with the Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay, but to date he has refused to schedule a single meeting.

“As a direct consequence of his policy change, there are men’s teams at risk of being
unfunded and disbanded,” says Rees.

“The capacity of clubs such as the Raiders, Vikings, Magpies, Eastlake and Ainslie to support all types of sports, at all levels will be adversely impacted.

“One of the greatest aspects of sport in Australia is its inclusive nature. Clubs
are great supporters of sport – men and women, boys and girls and it should not be
diminished by short-sighted government policy.

“This decision is highly divisive and must be rescinded for the good of all.”