00
FOR MEDIA 13 September 1984
JOINT STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE HON. J. J. BROWN,
MINISTER FOR SPORT, RECREATION AND TOURISM
The Australian Sports Commission, which will hold its first
meeting today, will bring a new focus to sports funding and
development.
While Federal Governments over the past decade have been
involved in sports development, their efforts have
suffered from fragmentation, erratic funding and lack of
consultation with sports bodies.
The ASC will be responsible for overseeing the allocation of
funds to national sporting associations.
It will also help to develop and implement more imaginative
and effective sports policies and programs.
The Government expects the Commission to achieve two fundamental
objectives. First, it will increase the level of direct input by the
sporting community to the process of defining needs and priorities.
Second, it will have the flexibility and autonomy required to
generate additional funds from the private sector, through a
Sports Aid Foundation, to supplement funds from the Federal
Budget. The Foundation will aim to attract additional, private sector
resources that can be used to support sports development programs
that will benefit all levels of Australian sport, including
assistance to Australia's high performance athletes.
The Foundation will provide Australian sport with a valuable
extra source of funds to complement Federal Government spending.
Sport is a vital element in the life of the vast majority of
Australians. It has been an integral part of our growth and development
as a nation.
Because of our increasingly competitive and technologically
sophisticated environment it will become more important than
ever as a way of celebrating and reinforcing a sense of national
identity. 2
Sport will continue to make a direct and positive contribution
to individual health, fitness and well being.
It is essential to have a flexible, effective mechanism that
will allow Australia to develop its national sporting potential
from the community participation level to the provision of
assistance to high performance athletes.
The Australian Sports Commission will be an essential part
of that task.
The Commission will operate as an advisory body to the Government
pending legislation to establish it as a statutory authority.
The first Chairman of the ASC will be Mr Ted Harris, Chief
Executive and 1. naging Director of Ampol, who was Chairman of
the Interim Committee which prepared a number of recommendations
for the Government on the role, structure and functions of
the proposed Commission.
There will be another 20 Commissioners.
The Sports Commission will be run on a day-to-day basis by an
executive staff based in Canberra.
Mr Greg Hartung has been appointed as General Manager of
the ASC, and Mr Perry Crosswhite and Ms Libby Darlison have
been appointed as Assistant General Managers.
Initially, the staff of the Commission will consist of officers
transferred from the Sport and Recreation Division of the
Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism.
AUSTRALIAN SPORTS COMMISSION
Ted Harris ( Chairman): Chief Executive and lManacring Director, Ampol Ltd, Mr Harris
was chairman of the Interim Committee which reported to the Government on the
role of the proposed Australian Sports Commission.
Herb Elliott ( Deputy Chairman): Successful businessman and former world champion
athlete, a gold medallist in the 1500m at the 1960 Olympics and never beaten over the
1500m or mile distances in competition. Mr Elliott was also on the Interim Committee
and is a former member of the Sports Advisory Council.
Bruce MacDonald: Secretary of the Department oi Sport, Recreation and Tourism and
a member of the Bcard of Management of the Au'stralian Institute of Sport.
Mike Fitzpatrick: As captain of Carlton Australian Rules team he took the club to
two VFL Premierships. Mr Fitzpatrick was a Rhodes Scholar and was a member of the
Interim Committee of the ASC.
Roy Masters: A leading rugby league coach with Sydney clubs Western Suburbs and
St George. Mr Masters is a school teacher and has written a number of articles on
sports psychology as well as being a guest writer for the Sydney Sun newspaper.
John Newman: President of the Australian Karate-Do organisation and a member of
the executive of the Confederation of Australian Sport.
Mark Tonelli: A successful businessman and sports commentator, Mr Tonelli was a
gold medallist at the Moscow Olympics as a member of the 4xlO0m medley relay
team. He also won a gold medal at the 1974 Commonwealth Games.
Colin Hayes: A leading horse trainer in South Australia for more than 30 years, Mr
Hayes has won about 20 South Australian premierships as well as training the winners
of many prestigious races, including the Melbourne Cup. He administers an extensive
breeding/ training complex at Lindsay Park in South Australia.
Phil Coles: A leading canoeist for many years, Mr Coles represented Australia at trfe,=
Olympic Games and has been an official at four others. He was team manager at
the Moscow Olympics, is a member of the IOC and an executive member of the
Australian Olympic Federation as well as Secretary of the NSW AOF.
Glynis Nunn: Olympic and Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the heptathlon,
Ms Nunn is a physical education teacher. She is one of Australia's leading long jumpers
and hurdlers.
Grant Kenny: Winner of the Australian men's open iron man title on four occasions, a
member of the Australian team in the World life saving championships and a bronze
medallist in the recent Los Angeles Olympics in the K2 1000m canoe race.
Vicki Cardwell: A top squash player for some years, Ms Cardwell has won the World
Open Women's Squash Championships three times and the Australian title on numerous
occasions. She is a national selector and recentl retired from overseas
competition. Ray Lindwall: One of Australia's most successful fast bowlers between 1946 and
1959, Mr Lindwall played for Australia on many occasions. He became a national
selector and was also a State representative rugby league player.
Pat Clohessy: One of Australia's most experienced athletic coaches, Mr Clohessy
specialises in middle and long-distance events. He has been coach to Robert de
Castella for some time and is currently the distance coach at the Australian Institute
of Sport.
Neale Fraser: Captain of the Australian Davis Cup team since 1970, Mr Fraser
was an outstanding player having won the Wimbledon singles title in 1960 as well as
the US singles title in both 1959 and 1960. He was a Davis Cup player between
1958 and 1963.
Alan Bond: A successful businessman, Chairman of the Bond Corporation, Mr Bond
headed the syndicate which successfully challenged for the America's Cup in 1984.
He represented Australia in the Admiral's Cup.
Betty Cuthbert: A champion athlete, Ms Cuthbert won three gold medals at the
1956 Olympics and followed this with another gold medal in the 1964 Olympics. She
became the first woman appointed as a trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Wendy Pritchard: A former international hockey player, Mrs Pritchard represented
Western Australia for many years and played for Australia on many occasions. She
took part in overseas tours with the Australian team in 1967, 1970, 1971 and 1979.
Andrew Lederer: A successful businessman, now semi-retired, Mr Lederer has been
Chairman of Sydney City Soccer Club for 15 years. He is currently team manager to
the Australian National team.
Jim Yates: A leading bowls player for 19 years, Mr Yates is a life member and former
President of Moreland Bowls Club and is currently club coach at the Moonee Ponds
Bowls Club. He won the Australian singles title in 1979 and the Adelaide Masters
singles title in 1983 and 1984.
Margaret Pewtress: A former President of the All-Australian Netball Association,
Mrs Pewtress has been involved in the administration and coaching of netball for
many years. She was also an All-Australian Netball Umpire and a member of the
Victorian Netball Association. She is currently a teacher at Box Hill Technical Schl.-: