PARLIAMENTARY ENQUIRY

INQUIRY INTO THE USE OF STATE FUNDING BY THE WAFC SUBIACO FOOTBALL CLUB SUBMISSION [EXTRACT]

In providing this submission, the Subiaco Football Club emphasises to the PAC (Public Accounts Committee) the three (3) most important principles that must continue in WA Football aside from other changes raised or discussed; 1.

Football money generated through the stadium arrangements that funds the WAFC cannot be lost to football.

We support an independent body like the WAFC to govern football in WA.

The WAFC role must change from a program delivery body to a governance, funding and compliance peak body that empowers industry bodies such as the WAFL Clubs to deliver football programs.

This club strongly believes that football stakeholders such as the WAFL Clubs have lost control of the WAFC and have now seen them become a bloated, top heavy and centralised bureaucratic organisation. As such, they are distanced from their community and wasteful of footballs resources. In addition to that, the traditional community organisations with a strong community links such as the WAFL Clubs have been isolated by the WAFC; and links through their local junior clubs, schools and talent pathway have been removed. The WAFC must partner with the WAFL and industry organisations to assist deliver programs that not only empowers them but in turn gets them to engage with other community groups. This multiplies the funding on community projects and engages local key influencers. Our recent experience with the WAFC and their leadership is of an organisation that is very guarded in sharing information; controlling the detail released and never the full picture. Financial details are filtered and often vague. This raises questions about their openness, transparency, accountability and willingness to truly embrace the WAFL Clubs as close partners. Lack of trust is the outcome. Accountability and transparency are ongoing themes in most interactions with WAFC leaders. The recent salary leak fiasco where they decided on a witch hunt, hiring expensive consultants that appeared mostly concerned with WAFC reputational damage was amazing. No real concern for the innocent staff and football people being accused of “leaking information” to the media, and in the end, no outcomes that we are made aware of – another avoidable but distressing decision impacting trust. WAFL Clubs are clear that our future relevance, much like our history, is with our local tribe, our community and the local delivery of football. Not only football, but using football as a vehicle to deliver true community engagement and educational and leadership programs. Some of the other key issues facing WA Football that have been brought to the attention of the WAFC and industry more widely are;

Minimal resources & funds available for grassroots football through to the 2nd tier competition (WAFL).

Volunteering for local football is reducing every year, so the cost rises for Clubs.

AFL Funding is directed to keeping 18 AFL & 14 AFLW teams afloat instead of investing in grassroots.

Structure in WA is not aligned, it’s delivered in silos that do not deliver high performance outcomes.

Coach development poor given WAFL clubs are not integral to delivery or support.

Red tape stifling volunteer appears to be increasing year on year.

Costs increasing to deliver football - Players payments

WAFL , Amo’s and Country, Coaching costs etc.

Morale in WAFC reported approaching alarming levels.

Community understanding of player pathway & WAFL club

Relevance within this – due to clubs being removed from community football development.

Lack of leadership. It’s a disastrous indictment of the leadership that the government is undertaking a public inquiry of the WAFC.

Failed central model. The WAFC has inadvertently continued to supress WAFL clubs rather than empower them. Yes, this is clearly a significant challenge, but good leadership would break through these barriers.

Poor culture in the WAFC. The WAFC’s internal research,

The Inside 50, confirmed a majority of WAFC staff have little faith in the current leadership and no confidence in the organisation. I would strongly suggest that this also mirrors the views of the WAFL clubs. Culture isn’t formed overnight. It’s organic and develops over time.

WAFL clubs must re-purpose quickly to survive. Decreasing traditional football revenues including potential WAFC base funding will cause increasing pressure on clubs.

WAFL clubs continue to rely on the ‘last WAFL generation’.

Clubs need to build new audiences.

Ageing and inconsistent WAFL Club facilities – not assisting in the re-birth of community engaging hubs and supporting a strong second tier competition.