Everybody loves Rita? Not me, not anymore.

[saynta]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opini ... 48ddf2cd69


"The Andrews government’s plan to fork out a hefty sum for a second-rate AFL game would be funny if it wasn’t so mindlessly stupid. Why are we spending public money on the nation’s wealthiest sporting code, asks Rita Panahi.


The AFL China game in Shanghai has been called off due to the coronavirus - the Saints and Port Adelaide match has instead been moved instead to an evening slot at Marvel stad...

The state government must think Victorians are dimwitted mugs. How else can one explain the astonishing decision by the Andrews government to spend taxpayer dollars “securing” a second-rate AFL game?

To be clear, the state government is spending a six-figure sum, rumoured to be between $250,000 and $300,000, to have St Kilda play their home game against Port Adelaide at their home stadium. It would be funny if it wasn’t so mindlessly stupid.

Public money should not be going to the nation’s wealthiest sporting code, which had revenue of $794 million and net profit of just over $48 million in 2019, all without paying a single cent in tax.

The AFL’s tax exempt status helps it pay its executives millions in salaries and bonuses. In 2018 the AFL’s 12-person executive team was paid just over $10.7 million in wages, including $3.56 million in bonuses. This is a competition so fat it can pay an activist a salary that rivals that of the premier and prime minister to be the league’s “general manager of inclusion and social policy”.

The St Kilda v Port Adelaide game was originally scheduled for Round 11 at Shanghai’s Jiangwan Stadium to promote the AFL’s fanciful notions of expanding the game to new markets. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, it will now be played in Melbourne in Round 12.

As much as the AFL loves an overseas junket, at some point they’ll have to acknowledge people in other countries, whether it’s the UK, New Zealand or China, are not going to adopt our game.

Even giving away scores of free tickets doesn’t get many to the games, which are typically attended by expats.

The latest clubs to declare plans to play a home and away game overseas are Essendon and Greater Western Sydney, who will reportedly “net more than $1 million” for the venture, though no one has explained how.

The Victorian government’s explanation for using taxpayer dollars for a Sunday twilight game which will likely draw less than 20,000 spectators is that the game will be a “celebration of Melbourne’s Chinese community”.

Trying to use the plight of Chinese restaurateurs to justify this absurdity takes real chutzpah but that’s precisely what Premier Daniel Andrews did yesterday in the Victorian parliament when asked why a government facing significant budgetary pressures, that have forced treasurer Tim Pallas to cut $4 billion in spending, is paying the nation’s richest sporting code to play a game at a ground it owns.

The same weird rationale was put forward on Wednesday by Sports Minister Martin Pakula (pictured left) who said Victoria did not want the game going to Cairns.

“It’s been well-publicised that there may have been an offer from the Queensland government, so this is something where there was a degree of competition,” he said.

“We don’t want to see a great AFL fixture between the Saints and Power played in Cairns, where for a modest investment, not only can the game be here, but we can have a great celebration of our Chinese community and get a whole lot of South Australians over … staying in our hotels, and eating in our restaurants.”

Is the sports minister unaware there are interstate clubs playing in Melbourne every week during the AFL season, with the exception of Round 21, so why should this lowly game receive government support? And why assume a low-drawing club such as Port Adelaide is going to bring thousands of interstate tourists to our struggling Asian eateries?

If the government is going to throw away our money on frivolities then the least it can do is be transparent about how much its spending — but Pakula has refused to reveal the sums involved.

“We don’t want to reveal our hand in regards to how we secure events in Victoria. In the scheme of things, it is a relatively modest sum,” he said.

One wonders what possible reason could the government have to bail out the rich and mighty AFL? The AFL’s head of clubs and broadcast, Travis Auld, was also on message about the game being vital in boosting Asian eateries.

“It’s a time to support our Chinese community,” he said. “They require our support more than ever and on behalf of the AFL, that is our intention now and through to the game and beyond.”

If Auld or Pakula had bothered to speak to a few Chinese restaurateurs, they’d know the bulk of the patrons staying away are of Asian background. By all means do everything possible to get them back to Melbourne’s great restaurants, but luring a few dozen Port Adelaide fans isn’t going to have much of an impact.

The decision highlights the Andrews Government’s twisted priorities. On the same day it announced taxpayer funds would be used for a St Kilda game to be played at St Kilda’s home ground, we learned a vital service for traumatised women is to be axed. A $130,000 cut from Victorian Legal Aid funding means the Court Network will not be able to help domestic violence victims.

Surely a critical service for at-risk women negotiating the court system is far more worthy of public funding than an AFL game."

[barneyboyz]

Hey Saynta, if it was Carlton and Collingwood I'd have to agree with her. I'm torn tbh, on the one hand a swipe at Daniel Andrews and Labor, and on the other a swipe at us I'll give her second rate game!

Best thing is though...we got the money for a change

[Secret Kiel]

As I've said in other threads that are discussing the OS projects, they have very little to do with benefiting our club and all to do about the interests of a very small self interest group, and they are doing it by spending other peoples money. Our club is just the current vehicle.

There was an auction and Cairns City Council and Tourism Queensland couldn't land the winning bid.

Growing fans is hard enough in NSW and Queenland let alone in another country. When you grasp that fact then you probably agree we are zero chance of building a fan base OS.

[Beno88]

It's handy for the club, but she's right, it makes zero sense from a state persepctive.

[cwrcyn]

Is that Rita Panahi? She's an extreme right wing priveleged IPA lover. She makes me puke even on a good day. Anything written by her royal excrement should go straight into the trash. Her and Andrew Bolt should get a room together

Sent from my LM-X520 using Tapatalk

[Linton Lodger]

I'll take the money but she's completely right.

[BarryGrogan]

I'll take the money but she's completely right.

About what??

[outside66]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opini ... 48ddf2cd69


"The Andrews government’s plan to fork out a hefty sum for a second-rate AFL game would be funny if it wasn’t so mindlessly stupid. Why are we spending public money on the nation’s wealthiest sporting code, asks Rita Panahi.


The AFL China game in Shanghai has been called off due to the coronavirus - the Saints and Port Adelaide match has instead been moved instead to an evening slot at Marvel stad...

The state government must think Victorians are dimwitted mugs. How else can one explain the astonishing decision by the Andrews government to spend taxpayer dollars “securing” a second-rate AFL game?

To be clear, the state government is spending a six-figure sum, rumoured to be between $250,000 and $300,000, to have St Kilda play their home game against Port Adelaide at their home stadium. It would be funny if it wasn’t so mindlessly stupid.

Public money should not be going to the nation’s wealthiest sporting code, which had revenue of $794 million and net profit of just over $48 million in 2019, all without paying a single cent in tax.

The AFL’s tax exempt status helps it pay its executives millions in salaries and bonuses. In 2018 the AFL’s 12-person executive team was paid just over $10.7 million in wages, including $3.56 million in bonuses. This is a competition so fat it can pay an activist a salary that rivals that of the premier and prime minister to be the league’s “general manager of inclusion and social policy”.

The St Kilda v Port Adelaide game was originally scheduled for Round 11 at Shanghai’s Jiangwan Stadium to promote the AFL’s fanciful notions of expanding the game to new markets. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, it will now be played in Melbourne in Round 12.

As much as the AFL loves an overseas junket, at some point they’ll have to acknowledge people in other countries, whether it’s the UK, New Zealand or China, are not going to adopt our game.

Even giving away scores of free tickets doesn’t get many to the games, which are typically attended by expats.

The latest clubs to declare plans to play a home and away game overseas are Essendon and Greater Western Sydney, who will reportedly “net more than $1 million” for the venture, though no one has explained how.

The Victorian government’s explanation for using taxpayer dollars for a Sunday twilight game which will likely draw less than 20,000 spectators is that the game will be a “celebration of Melbourne’s Chinese community”.

Trying to use the plight of Chinese restaurateurs to justify this absurdity takes real chutzpah but that’s precisely what Premier Daniel Andrews did yesterday in the Victorian parliament when asked why a government facing significant budgetary pressures, that have forced treasurer Tim Pallas to cut $4 billion in spending, is paying the nation’s richest sporting code to play a game at a ground it owns.

The same weird rationale was put forward on Wednesday by Sports Minister Martin Pakula (pictured left) who said Victoria did not want the game going to Cairns.

“It’s been well-publicised that there may have been an offer from the Queensland government, so this is something where there was a degree of competition,” he said.

“We don’t want to see a great AFL fixture between the Saints and Power played in Cairns, where for a modest investment, not only can the game be here, but we can have a great celebration of our Chinese community and get a whole lot of South Australians over … staying in our hotels, and eating in our restaurants.”

Is the sports minister unaware there are interstate clubs playing in Melbourne every week during the AFL season, with the exception of Round 21, so why should this lowly game receive government support? And why assume a low-drawing club such as Port Adelaide is going to bring thousands of interstate tourists to our struggling Asian eateries?

If the government is going to throw away our money on frivolities then the least it can do is be transparent about how much its spending — but Pakula has refused to reveal the sums involved.

“We don’t want to reveal our hand in regards to how we secure events in Victoria. In the scheme of things, it is a relatively modest sum,” he said.

One wonders what possible reason could the government have to bail out the rich and mighty AFL? The AFL’s head of clubs and broadcast, Travis Auld, was also on message about the game being vital in boosting Asian eateries.

“It’s a time to support our Chinese community,” he said. “They require our support more than ever and on behalf of the AFL, that is our intention now and through to the game and beyond.”

If Auld or Pakula had bothered to speak to a few Chinese restaurateurs, they’d know the bulk of the patrons staying away are of Asian background. By all means do everything possible to get them back to Melbourne’s great restaurants, but luring a few dozen Port Adelaide fans isn’t going to have much of an impact.

The decision highlights the Andrews Government’s twisted priorities. On the same day it announced taxpayer funds would be used for a St Kilda game to be played at St Kilda’s home ground, we learned a vital service for traumatised women is to be axed. A $130,000 cut from Victorian Legal Aid funding means the Court Network will not be able to help domestic violence victims.

Surely a critical service for at-risk women negotiating the court system is far more worthy of public funding than an AFL game."

To be fair, you can't disagree with alot here (I'm not a fan of hers one way or the other btw). I'm surprised that the Vic govt paid for the game rights. The only thing that would be up for contention is if both teams are doing well in the lead-up to the fixture as it would then make it a "first-rate" game. At the time of writing though, it is a second-rate game to those outside the Saints/Port walls. That said, both clubs have advised that they will be making a concerted effort to showcase and support the Chinese community, so if they come good on that then perhaps Rita is wrong in saying that this game will not have much of an impact.

[BarryGrogan]

To be fair, you can't disagree with alot here (I'm not a fan of hers one way or the other btw). I'm surprised that the Vic govt paid for the game rights. The only thing that would be up for contention is if both teams are doing well in the lead-up to the fixture as it would then make it a "first-rate" game. At the time of writing though, it is a second-rate game to those outside the Saints/Port walls. That said, both clubs have advised that they will be making a concerted effort to showcase and support the Chinese community, so if they come good on that then perhaps Rita is wrong in saying that this game will not have much of an impact.

I can't disagree more.

What on earth is wrong with Victorian wanting to host a Victorian team's home game on the Eve of a public holiday??

She is a very, very short sighted person. Most stubboen and ignorant people are. Especially when they're blinded by their agenda.


There's a large Chinese population in Melbourne who have been hit hard by the corona virus. They'd be feeling s*** and largely isolated I would suggest

To pay a measly $400k to not only facilitate a 120yo Victorian club with 250000 supporters getting to play a home game in Victoria on the Eve of a public holiday, but also acknowledge our Chinese Melburnians in the process - is just simply good leadership and quality longer term thinking.

Even if it means 5000 Saints fans don't leave the state to go and watch the game for 3 days, and 5000 South Australians stay here for 3 days instead of flying to Queensland - your going to close to being square.

And that's without eveything else that comes have 20000+ people in the CBD on the Eve of a public holiday.


It's actually an incredibly stupid opinion piece. Just cause she says things with such arrogance amd conviction - doesn't make them true.

[samuraisaint]

300,000 Australians barrack for St Kilda and a lot of them live in Victoria - we're tax payers too.

[The_Dud]

Rita is an absolute flog, no surprise though that the likes of her and Andrew Bolt are on Saynta’s reading list!

[desertsaint]

Rita is an absolute flog, no surprise though that the likes of her and Andrew Bolt are on Saynta’s reading list!

why you gotta go and do that?

[saynta]

Rita is an absolute flog, no surprise though that the likes of her and Andrew Bolt are on Saynta’s reading list!

Ok Chuck, good on ya. Never have I heard a more racist, sexist remark uttered from your lips.

I read the aricle because of the mention of the Saints and it being a second rate game.

You can stick your personal comments where the sun has never shone, Chuck.

[Darth Vader]

I’d agree with her if she was talking about another team but she’s not so I don’t.

[To the top]

No mention of the tax free status of other organisations - including Churches including those who do not represent established religions but individuals (think Folau and Scomo)

No mention of the tax cuts and tax concessions given to business, business which also currently enjoys historical low borrowing costs because of where the Cash Rate is and is the beneficiary of the continuing lack of growth in wages - those benefits staying on the Balance Sheet and not trickling down to employees and therefore to the benefit of the economy (which is people having the confidence in their circumstances to spend money so creating employment across the business model - so secure employment receiving a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work)

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Opinions are like ar$heholes and Rita Panahi is one giant opinion.

[Linton Lodger]

I'll take the money but she's completely right.

About what??

About the State Govt.'s idiocy.

[Linton Lodger]

To be fair, you can't disagree with alot here (I'm not a fan of hers one way or the other btw). I'm surprised that the Vic govt paid for the game rights. The only thing that would be up for contention is if both teams are doing well in the lead-up to the fixture as it would then make it a "first-rate" game. At the time of writing though, it is a second-rate game to those outside the Saints/Port walls. That said, both clubs have advised that they will be making a concerted effort to showcase and support the Chinese community, so if they come good on that then perhaps Rita is wrong in saying that this game will not have much of an impact.

I can't disagree more.

What on earth is wrong with Victorian wanting to host a Victorian team's home game on the Eve of a public holiday??

She is a very, very short sighted person. Most stubboen and ignorant people are. Especially when they're blinded by their agenda.


There's a large Chinese population in Melbourne who have been hit hard by the corona virus. They'd be feeling s*** and largely isolated I would suggest

To pay a measly $400k to not only facilitate a 120yo Victorian club with 250000 supporters getting to play a home game in Victoria on the Eve of a public holiday, but also acknowledge our Chinese Melburnians in the process - is just simply good leadership and quality longer term thinking.

Even if it means 5000 Saints fans don't leave the state to go and watch the game for 3 days, and 5000 South Australians stay here for 3 days instead of flying to Queensland - your going to close to being square.

And that's without eveything else that comes have 20000+ people in the CBD on the Eve of a public holiday.


It's actually an incredibly stupid opinion piece. Just cause she says things with such arrogance amd conviction - doesn't make them true.

Do you honestly believe a St Kilda Port Adelaide game in their honour at Marvel, will cheer the Chinese population of Melbourne up? Even if you accept they're all depressed about the Coronavirus.

Do you really believe that 5,000 Port fans are going to come to Melbourne for the game? Maybe 500 if they're going well.

[BarryGrogan]

I'll take the money but she's completely right.

About what??

About the State Govt.'s idiocy.

On the specific point she's making the ascertion on - yes. Absolutely she's wrong.

[BarryGrogan]

Do you really believe that 5,000 Port fans are going to come to Melbourne for the game? Maybe 500 if they're going well.

Yes. It's a long weekend. It's not out the question that 5000 South Australians will come here instead of Queensland (if it was was played there).

[outside66]

To be fair, you can't disagree with alot here (I'm not a fan of hers one way or the other btw). I'm surprised that the Vic govt paid for the game rights. The only thing that would be up for contention is if both teams are doing well in the lead-up to the fixture as it would then make it a "first-rate" game. At the time of writing though, it is a second-rate game to those outside the Saints/Port walls. That said, both clubs have advised that they will be making a concerted effort to showcase and support the Chinese community, so if they come good on that then perhaps Rita is wrong in saying that this game will not have much of an impact.

I can't disagree more.

What on earth is wrong with Victorian wanting to host a Victorian team's home game on the Eve of a public holiday??

She is a very, very short sighted person. Most stubboen and ignorant people are. Especially when they're blinded by their agenda.


There's a large Chinese population in Melbourne who have been hit hard by the corona virus. They'd be feeling s*** and largely isolated I would suggest

To pay a measly $400k to not only facilitate a 120yo Victorian club with 250000 supporters getting to play a home game in Victoria on the Eve of a public holiday, but also acknowledge our Chinese Melburnians in the process - is just simply good leadership and quality longer term thinking.

Even if it means 5000 Saints fans don't leave the state to go and watch the game for 3 days, and 5000 South Australians stay here for 3 days instead of flying to Queensland - your going to close to being square.

And that's without eveything else that comes have 20000+ people in the CBD on the Eve of a public holiday.


It's actually an incredibly stupid opinion piece. Just cause she says things with such arrogance amd conviction - doesn't make them true.

Where are these 250,000 supporters you speak of? That’s irrelevant. We averaged just over 25,000 for a home game last year so who cares about non-financial “supporters”. They aren’t rocking up to games let alone heading out for a succulent meal... Anyways, I’m quite glad that it is in Victoria and I will be going to the game

[To the top]

Sports rorts anyone?

[StPeter]

There is every chance that if the coronavirus spread continues as expected, the game and other games will be played in front of empty stadiums.

This has already happened overseas in places.

[Spinner]

Not a fan at all, ever.

[Secret Kiel]

Sports rorts anyone?

Aka funding for official bribery back to political parties.

Political party donations, aka official bribery is a magnificent system. Don't fight it, just get onboard and reap the benefits.

Same people complaining about the so called sports rorts already have thier snouts in the trough.

The AFL get politicians elected and are big donors to political parties so the payment to the AFL for our game to be played in Vic can be viewed as a reimbursement.

It's a beautiful thing, a very beautiful thing. Lots of people talking about it.