Tuesday 17 October 2006
QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

AFL TASMANIA
Mr FINCH (Question) - Mr President, my question is to the honourable Leader. Firstly, can the Government say whether there was ever an agreement between AFL Tasmania involving funding of nearly $200 000 in return for giving support to St Kilda playing two roster matches in Tasmania starting with the 2003 football season, as reported in the Examiner newspaper, page 38, on 18 July 2002? Secondly, does the State Government provide any funding to AFL Tasmania and, if so, how much and under what conditions? Thirdly, does the $15 million agreement between the State Government and Hawthorn benefit AFL Tasmania and, fourthly, given the Government's involvement with the AFL, is it concerned that AFL Tasmania seems to be tardy in adopting the national AFL's policy on transfer fees?

Mr PARKINSON - Mr President, I thank the honourable member for his question. In answer to his first question, there was agreement between the State Government and the AFL in relation to playing four AFL games each season in Tasmania, two involving the Hawthorn Football Club and two involving the St Kilda Football Club. Details on funding for AFL Tasmania are provided in the answer to the second question. In answer to the second question, as a result of the introduction of the AFL Live in Tasmania, an amount of $100 000 per year has been paid to AFL Tasmania by the State Government in compensation for losing revenue from conducting AFL pre season practice matches.

The State Government, through Sport and Recreation Tasmania, also contributes $150 000 a year towards development of football in this State. In addition, $10 000 per game per club - that is, $40 000 per season - was paid to AFL Tasmania through the AFL from the Hawthorn and St Kilda clubs as a result of the agreement to play AFL Live games in Tasmania. The State Government has also provided AFL Tasmania with 300 seats per game in the Gunns Stand at Aurora Stadium with a revenue-generating potential of about $50 000.

In answer to question three, the facts as detailed in the answer to question two will continue, however there may be some adjustments to Sport and Recreation Tasmania's $150 000 contribution and the additional payments presently made by the two clubs. What these adjustments may be is not known at this stage.

In answer to question four, this is not an issue for the Tasmanian Government. Transfer fees are an operational matter between the AFL and the respective State's football organisations.