Appendix 3

Answers to questions

Mr Tim Lane (Hansard p.37)

Public hearing 27 March 2009 Melbourne – Questions on notice

Senator FARRELL—Just on this question of whether there would be enough league footballers from Tasmania to make up a team, it is my impression that there are probably more Northern Territorians playing in the AFL than there are Tasmanians at the moment. Would you be able to find out that information easily for us?

Mr Lane—Those numbers would be readily available, and you could be right. There are more, I think I could say accurately, from the Northern Territory now on AFL lists than there are Tasmanians.

Senator FARRELL—Would we be able to get those figures? Would you be able to provide them to the committee?

Mr Lane—Yes, I could do that.

Answers provided by Mr Lane (received 04/06/09)

Based on a quick check of current AFL lists (informally gathered, but pretty accurate figures), there are 26 players from the Northern Territory currently on AFL team lists and 25 players from Tasmania.

It might be worth adding that there are nine Tasmanians who are members of club coaching panels – i.e. people of considerable experience, who continue to apply their knowledge to clubs in the AFL – and to the best of my knowledge there are none from the Northern Territory.

AFL – Mr Phil Martin

Received 19 June 2009 – Questions placed on notice by the committee

1. RRAT Committee - With reference to the evidence of Mr McLachlan to the RRAT Committee on how Tasmania might have a team in the AFL: "When and how that comes about I don't think anyone knows", what were the opportunities for Tasmania “in the next three or four years” in the AFL which were referred to by Premier Bartlett at the joint press conference with Mr Demetriou on 1 April 2009?

   AFL - We think it is more appropriate to ask the Tasmanian Premier, Mr Bartlett, as to what he meant by the comments he made. It is not appropriate for the AFL to answer on behalf of the Tasmanian Premier.

2. RRAT Committee - Given the comments of Mr Demetriou at the joint press conference with Premier Bartlett on 1 April 2009 regarding the potential relocation of a team to Tasmania :

   •   what barriers exist which might prevent such a relocation;

   •   has the AFL Commission or its officers discussed or considered the relocation of any team to Tasmania as a viable option;

   •   has the AFL Commission or its officers discussed any such options with the Tasmanian Government and if so when, and with whom;

   •   does the AFL Commission or its officers believe that any team currently in its competition is potentially not viable financially, administratively or both;

   •   would a lack of such viability be grounds to relocate any team?.

   AFL - The comments were based on whether an AFL  team did seek to relocate at some stage in the future – and Mr Demetriou said he could not forecast what might happen in the future or not speak for what might happen at a future date. Any decision on relocation is a matter for the individual AFL clubs – not for the AFL – but we do not believe any AFL team is currently discussing the possibility of relocation. We have consistently said that we believe there is room for 10 clubs in Melbourne.

3. RRAT Committee - Given the recent comments made by the AFL Commission on delaying the potential start up date for a Western Sydney team to 2012 and on the reported interest from the A.C.T. to base some home games from a Western Sydney/ACT team in Canberra, can the AFL Commission provide the latest information on the proposed Western Sydney team? What are the reasons for the apparent delay to the start up date? Who are the people or entities that the AFL is expecting to organise and run such a team?

   AFL - There has been no delay to the start-up date for a Western Sydney team. Our target dates remains a 2011 entry for the Gold Coast team into the AFL competition and a 2012 entry into the AFL competition for a team based in the Greater West of Sydney. All our planning is based on that timetable and that timetable has not been altered.

4. RRAT Committee - Can the Committee be supplied with participation figures for Western Sydney, Gold Coast and Tasmania for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008 both including and excluding Auskick participants. Can the Committee be supplied with the names of the teams and the age grounds in which those teams were fielded in each of those regions (whether playing in or outside those regions) and for each of the years 2006, 2007 and 2008.

   AFL - We have attached the state participation figures for NSW, Queensland and Tasmania. The names of the individual clubs in each area is something we will need to seek from the state bodies in those states.

   NSW/ACT Total participation: 113, 346. Total participation minus NAB AFL Auskick 77,344.

   Queensland total participation is 97,917. Total Participation Minus NAB AFL Auskick = 69,922.

   Tasmanian total participation is 33,454. Total Participation Minus NAB AFL Auskick = 24,100.

5. RRAT Committee - What does the AFL believe were the reasons the Tasmanian state wide league failed in its previous incarnation? What has changed to give confidence that the newly constituted state wide league will be successful.

   AFL - The feedback from AFL Tasmania was that there didn’t appear to be statewide support from the clubs in the earlier iteration. The view from AFL Tasmania this time is that they have the buy-in from clubs across the state to make it work and that in order to build football in Tasmania a strong pathway is needed for young Tasmanians to play at the highest possible level.

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