Kevin Rudd to put Socceroos back on Free-To-Air
Senator Kate Lundy announced Labour football policy on the SBS today.
And it nearly bowled me over!
$32 million over 4 years, that is double the Liberal party commitment, with most of the expenditure in the next two years.
This would cover a TELEVISED women's national league,
A Labour Government will put the World Cup qualifiers back on Free-To-Air. That will really benefit the game and give the children, the players, and our future, the chance to see the stars of the World Game they play.
And they will have a use it or lose policy for sports broadcasters.
and money for grassroots, and Australian teams into Asia.
It sounded good to me. It sounded like, finally, after all these years, an Australian Political Party can see the benefit of the game to Australia politically, economically, socially and culturally.
The Labour Party seemed to have tapped into the growth of the game at grassroots level, the Socceroos and Matildas success, and the opportunities the sports can bring to Australia through increasing our links across Asia and the World.
Not hard really. Makes you wonder why The Liberal party haven't taken the initiative over the years as they have continued to pour disproportionate amounts into Rugby Union and Rugby League.
Disproportionate to the numbers who play, and the countries the National teams meet.
Which ever party you vote for, football fans can at least be pleased about the benefits the game will gain from a Rudd Labour Government.
I'll look for a response from the Liberal party during the week.
2 comments:
This is really, really amazing news. Now I know who I'm going to vote for! :-)
Seriously, I've just discovered I'm interested in the election. I've found this article about Lundy's announcements, but there's nothing on her site yet.
There's also nothing in the article saying that the World Cup qualifiers would be put on the anti-siphoning list (ie be available for free-to-air as long as there was a station that would run it). And what about the Socceroos friendlies? Personally I reckon because the taxpayers pay for the National team we should have a right to see them when they play. They are a national icon, and a true flagship of Australian nationalism on the World stage.
Please keep us up to date on whatever you find out Eamonn, and include links where possible (I'm sure you will).
Cheers!
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