Labor Member for Elwick, Shadow Sports Minister and former local football administrator, Josh Willie said it was soul-destroying to see his beloved Glenorchy Football Club in the situation they're in and that footy in the state needs a massive shake up.
Glenorchy's situation is symptomatic of years of chronic under funding of the game in Tasmania and lack of leadership and neglect by the AFL.
Money from the AFL for grass roots football in Tasmania has been woefully inadequate when compared to places such as Western Sydney and Queensland.
We've been neglected and ignored and the chickens have come home to roost.
The state government has committed $144 million to underwrite an AFL team, $60 million for a high-performance centre and $460 million for a stadium we don't need.
What conditions regarding funding for grass roots footy, for an elite Tasmanian men's and women's competition and governance for the sport has the state government sought from the AFL for this level of investment?
Footy has been run by the AFL in Tasmania for 25 years and the game has suffered badly over that time.
It's time Tassie footy is funded and supported properly at the grass roots level and at a higher level so we have a high-quality competition for aspirational players.
Minister for Sport, Nic Street, when he took over the portfolio said he was all about the grassroots.
However, in his short time as Minister, he's failed to release the Community Sport and Active Recreation Infrastructure Strategy, overseen the collapse of ice sports in Glenorchy and seems more focused on building a waterfront stadium that will divert funding from other grassroots sports.
Where is the Minister is Glenorchy's hour of need?
At present we're losing so many talented players to mainland competitions and it's not good enough, particularly when we want our own AFL Team.
Josh Willie MLC
Shadow Minister for Sport
