Joint Push For More Cash
The Sunday Age
Sunday September 21, 2008
A KEY player in the fight for Australian sport to receive more money from the Government before the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics believes the benefits of beating the increasingly powerful British at their home Games would mirror the uplifting contribution to the national psyche of Don Bradman during the depression.
Australian Paralympic Committee president and Australian Sports Commission deputy president Greg Hartung, who has joined Australian Olympic Committee supremo John Coates in lobbying for more cash, is adamant that funding sports success is in the national interest."Sport should be considered as a very wise government investment," Hartung said. "Can you tell me any other major areas where Australia's reputation, identity, our connectivity within our own community and the international community is more profound than in sport?"Would any reasonable person not see value for money in the dividends we would get from more support? Great Britain have been exciting themselves about beating Australia for the last 10 years. In Beijing, they've done it - twice."Hartung estimated the government's input to sport of $220 million a year was less than .1 of 1% of its annual revenue."Sport is a wonderfully uplifting thing," Hartung said. "Look at Bradman. His great reputation was built during a period of conflict; during a period of depression in Australia. The whole country benefited from what he did for Australia on a cricket field."Sport has a huge bearing on Australian life. I don't think the cynics really get that. I think everyone, including the prime minister, accepts that funding must increase. There are significant challenges ahead."Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes, who both beat Australia for gold medals at the Beijing Games, receive nearly double the amount given to Australian athletes each year."The sporting world has changed radically," Hartung said. "The investment that the taxpayers have put in is relatively small and insignificant in the context of our global national expenditure."This is to do with seeking excellence. This is to do with Australia's role, reputation and prestige in the world. Great Britain want to beat us at the Olympics. There would be immense satisfaction for Australia if we beat them in their own backyard."Hartung and Coates are about to lobby hard for increased government support."Arguments about money being better spent in other areas will always emerge," Hartung said. "I think the days of asking our artists and sports people to starve in a garret have long gone."
© 2008 The Sunday Age
