Armstrong and Rann, the Tour Down Under funder
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With eight weeks to go to the next election on March 20, South Australian Premier Mike Rann is doing his best to distract the South Australia masses with a party that runs right up to election day. First up in this bread and circuses blur is the Tour Down Under, which runs for the next week, followed closely by the Australian Track Cycling championships, the Adelaide Festival and its Fringe, WOMADelaide, the Adelaide Cup horse racing, the Clipsal 500 car race and, for the boofheads who would rather watch rugby than vote, the Rugby 7s on election day. Many of these events are scheduled far in advance or are always held at this time of year. And the election is held on the fixed date of the 3rd Saturday in March four years after the previous one. But you can be sure that Rann and his seriously cashed-up South Australian Labor Party will be doing their level best to distract the public from their active participation in the that other celebration — the festival of democracy known as an election — over the next two months. There is nothing particularly new or inherently sinister in this — governments of all persuasions have been doing the politics of joyous and lavish distraction for centuries. But in South Australia right now there are some serious and unanswered questions about the secrecy surrounding Rann’s largesse. Last year about this time Crikey asked Rann to confirm rumours of a large payment — some suggestions were as high as $3 million — made to the American cyclist Lance Armstrong for his attendance at the 2009 Tour Down Under. As the Boulder Report noted at the time there was a fair bit of confusion, even among Rann’s insiders, as to how much was paid to whom and for what: “… no one’s talking. South Australia Premier Mike Rann refused to discuss any negotiations, and other than saying that any money paid will go to his charity,” Rann’s spokesman Lachlan Parker declined to discuss the matter further with reporters. “… It’s less the donation than the secrecy surrounding it that seems strange and excessive … But [appearance fees] made with taxpayer dollars, in an ostensibly democratic and open government, fit a different standard of disclosure.” Parker’s line that Armstrong would give his money to charity was exposed by the New York Times. Armstrong:
And the only response that Crikey received from the South Australian government to our questions in 2009 was this short statement:
A week ago Crikey again put several questions to Rann about the 2009 payments to Armstrong and asking how much he, and other riders, might be being paid in 2010 by way of appearance money. At the time of going to press we’ve not had a response. But it seems that plenty of people here still have concerns about how Rann is dispensing public money. On Saturday local journalist for The Australian Pia Akerman ran a piece headed: “Payout to cycle star Armstrong to stay secret”. Akerman quoted Rann’s tourism minister Jan Lomax-Smith, who came up with another version for the secrecy behind the payments to Armstrong: “There are many people who’d like to steal our major events and our sports and arts activities,” she said. “We don’t want to help those people who we know are sniffing around by giving them an idea of how they’re managed.” Akerman’s piece also reveals an interesting fact about how close to the edge of political reality Rann may be skating. Jay Weatherill, demoted by Rann 18 months ago and widely regarded as the coming man in local Labor, told Akerman that the payments to Armstrong and another recent celebrity visitor to South Australia, ex-tennis player John McEnroe, hadn’t even been run past Rann’s Cabinet colleagues. Late last week Crikey spoke to David Winderlich, ex-Democrat and current independent in the upper house and who is up for his first election in March. He reckons that accountability in Rann’s South Australia has gone haywire: “I don’t see any reason why they shouldn’t disclose how much they are spending on sportsmen like Lance Armstrong — unless of course they are ashamed of it.” And Opposition sports spokesman Terry Stephens agrees but can see another way around Rann’s reluctance to come clean — he told Crikey that we should go straight to the Texan: “… let’s remember that it is not Mike Rann personally that is paying Armstrong — it is the people of South Australia. Now that Armstrong has decided that Mike Rann is a terrific Premier I think that he should make his commercial agreements public.” Over to you Lance. To see the list of questions Crikey put to South Australian Premier Mike Rann go to Bob Gosford’s Crikey blog The Northern Myth. |
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30 Comments
“Boofheads who’d rather watch rugby than vote?” You obviously are mistaking league and union for sevens. IRB (Union) 7’s has two main crowds, high corporate, and rugby teams on tour.
The Rugby 7’s tournament dates are fixed years in advance, and determined by the IRB not the state government of South Australia.
Talk about setting things up to knock them back again…
It’s about time someone delved into this issue - the Adelaide Advertiser are far too busy waving their ‘I HEART LANCE’ flags and poncing around in their lycra.
I have tried time and time again to get a critical comment up on the Adelaide Now website about this event - the taxpayer payments to Lance, the blanket coverage which pushes far more important issues off the paper and news programmes, and not one comment makes it through the censors. Nothing. Free and balanced journalism? Try a week long advertisement for Mike Rann and his new idol, Lance.
And yeah I’m biased. I can’t stand cyclists. Not so much people on bikes, I don’t have a problem with that, but the fact the whole city of Adelaide is now flooded with these lycra wearing posers hurting my eyes is tough to bear. One week only though. Ride it out.
This story, appears to me to be what they call in journalism, a ‘beat up’. Yawn.
Haven’t you got something of real substance to write about Mr Gosford?
I’d hazard a guess that since Athenian days, trim, taut, entertaining Sparts were paid appearance fees to entertain the citizens. So what? If they earn their money, and the State comes out revenue positive from the event overall, then that’s a positive benefit for the citizens of S.A. in my book, or anywhere else for that matter.
Anyway, how do you measure the joy felt by all the folk who came out to ride with Lance Armstrong the other day? If they were S.A. voters, I would feel pretty safe to say that they would say that the money paid to get L.A. out here was taxpayers’ money well spent. Same goes for all the other State-funded events.
Get over yourself, Mr Gosford. From what I have read of your work in Crikey, you appear to have a thinly-disguised vendetta against the Rann Labor government. The State of S.A. is doing really well from where I sit in NSW. But there’ll always be opportunistic whingers keen to take any opportunity for a swipe. Such is life for a politician.
As Lance is one of the worlds best known twitters - why not ask him on twitter?
Security by obscurity, Jane? Yeah, ask any security expert how well that works.
“I can’t stand cyclists’ nothing like having a rational basis for you actions ABarker.
There you go! copy/paste my response from your blog. (And ‘tis awaiting moderation. Wot I done? Wot I said?).
Mr Gosford sir, This is SA! You are nissing into the pind! We don’t talk about that here. (’We’ don’t talk about anything much here. You do realise don’t you, that I am referring to the Royal ‘we’ here:-His Preciousness Ranndy).
I am but a common pleb, and try to avert my eyes when a biker passes, just in case he breathes on me and I get arrested. I try to give a wide berth to ‘the gang of 49′. (I think they caught one…or maybe one and a little fella,-so I suppose it is now ‘the gang of 47 and a half’).
I tried to get a wee dram at my favourite watering hole recently, but the Dictatorship (we call them ‘dicks’. It saves time), had ordered their frontline troups (they’re called SAPOL. It saves time), to close it down because the bikers were going to stop there.
I have read (online, one doesn’t pay good money for it), in our daily mouthpiece the heading “The Legend Has Landed”!! Gosh! Wow!!….,and, “He Tweeted-They Came”.
Oh my!! I had to take a chill pill, I came over all unnecessary.
I tried so hard to put up a post on AdelaideNow-four times-but it must have slipped through their system. My heart was warmed by comments like:’I rode next to Lance for a while’ and the tear-jerking comment that ‘this is something I can tell my children about when they are older’ ( he means breathing the same air as…………ooo! er! .., LANCE!!!).
Oh how Rann smiled (I was concerned that he might split his face), and Jane? she got a new frock just for Lance;- after all he DID tell us he would vote for ‘his friend Ranny’ if he could vote in our election. (surely Mike can arrange something?, we’re talking “LANCE” here!).
And Lance has said that athletes should not be afraid to go to danger zones. I hung on his every word-him having vast experience an’ all.
It is simply appalling that someone was silly enough to hit His Preciousness with a rolled up magazine, I was given no time to donate a lead pipe that would have fitted neatly into that reading material. I loathe it when people go off half cocked….,then others have to resort to empty magazines!
…and I’m NOT biased. I find men in Lycra absolutely mesmerising! Preferably when they are not on their bikes.
I just think that there is more than one participant in the TDU,-and a damn sight less expensive!
(And don’t give me the crap about what he does for the tourist dollar. We pay. We have a right to know how much we are outlaying).
This of course, has little to do with the obsequious toadying that is currently pervading SA. There are some very vexing issues here;-and they will get dramatically worse if this ‘gang of three’ wins our lecshun.
South Australia
Where’s that?
Yet another example of devious/lying/cheating/conniving/unprincipled politicians buying votes with taxpayer funds. The mendacity of politicians generally is only exceeded by the stupidity of the electorate that fails to recognise that they are being done over. Commercial in confidence references are nothing more than a smokescreen to allow corrupt politicians to get away with questionable activities. Unfortunately all levels of politics in Australia are tarred with the same brush.
And here is the response to Crikey’s questions from Ms Rasheed at Events SA recived after press time this afternoon:
In response to your questions…
Any commercial arrangements we have with athletes, teams or events are commercial in confidence, as we operate in a very competitive environment.
Furthermore, the agreement with Lance Armstrong was prepared on the express understanding between both parties that the agreement would be kept confidential.
Any investment in Lance Armstrong has been more than returned in benefits to the State.
The benefits of gaining UCI Pro Tour status for the Santos Tour Down Under (2008) and of attracting the world’s greatest cyclist Lance Armstrong to participate in the event (2009 and 2010) are open for all to see.
Lance’s participation in 2009 Tour Down Under saw a more than doubling of every key indicator, including world-wide editorial media coverage which increased from $43 million to $227 million. Furthermore, the economic impact for South Australia of the Tour Down Under increased from $17 million to $39 million, event specific visitors from 15,000 to 36,000 and more than 760,000 people lined the streets of Adelaide and South Australia to take in the event, which showcases our State to the world.
Please contact me should you require further information either on email or mobile.
thanks Bob..
As an ex-pat croweater, the problem isn’t Lance Armstrong - it’s Media Mike. I get the feeling the election will reflect the same result as Bligh in Qld i.e nobody really likes her anymore but lets vote her back in anyway and complain about it later.
The tour has now turned into a bona fide global cycling event which is worth its weight in gold to the South Australian economy. $3M to Lance Armstrong? I have no problems with this figure, money well spent in my book.
As for Rugby 7’s… I thought our national game (aka AFL) killed this barbaric sport off some time ago, please die a peaceful death and stick to your own state!
Adelaide must be criminally dull if “760,000” turned up to watch. But such outlandish figures are routine. The total population is only 1.1 million. Excluding nursing homes, prisons, the morbidly obese,TV addicts and the legions of people who can’t stand lycra, that leaves exactly 21,680 Adlayd citizens who might possibly watch.
Rann’s spin doctors pumped steroids into the figures…just wait for the B sample…they’re taking the piss as we speak…
“Commercial in confidence” here is about transparency: public money should be ummmm, public.
@Frank - there may be some truth to the figures as South Australia is very parochial and well known for supporting big events. After all, some 350,000 turned out to get a glimpse of the Beatles…!
Dook: and 250,000 “screaming, weeping” (The Sun) people squashed into Melbourne CBD in 1954 to greet the new Queen…
The Beatles likewise…
Has Adlied become so somnolent that an elderly cyclist of uncertain pharmaceutical provenance can out-draw Liz, Paul et al?
well, I guess notwithstanding that Melbourne’s population is 3 or 4 times bigger than Adelaide’s, 250,000 is still a massive turnout and probably suggests that little old Australia is starved of international attention!
Don’t forget that the tour has many stages and you don’t need to be in the CBD to see the cyclists. The tour goes through the Adelaide, Barossa, Victor Harbor, Mt Barker et al… Australian’s (myself included) don’t realise how big road race cycling is in europe.
Similar to the Clipsal 500, I’m sure the bigger states are plotting to underhand the SA Government somehow (a la the Grand Prix) by bringing the tour east - it won’t happen again!
South Australia
Where’s that?
A joke I know….but the answer is in the question you nub.
You can’t even insult South Australia properly. Go to bed and reflect on what a failure you are.
c’mon Frank and Daniel, you know ‘us’ croweaters are a little sensitive……… hehe
Dook: chuck in the Hills and VH… the total pop. of the state is only 1.6m. Rann should run a gauntlet of rolled-up New Ideas for porkies like “760k…”
Cycling may be big in Europe, but here it’s as chic as Kamahl.
Adlayd should thank Kennett for pinching the Grand Pricks- a hoon abomination which generates massive losses to Victoria and misery to Malbun.
Adelaide is the charm capital of Australia. As Melbourne degenerates into Sydney, the gap widens.
If only Adelaide could shed its provincial sense of inferiority…to cure this just say three Mykis and a Westgate. Amen.
The Duke
You obviously know nothing about 7’s, if aussie rules wasn’t so boring ,messy, and inbred it may well have already got national status.
Bob, I have a follow-up question for Ms Rasheed.
How does the Kennett fictional construct ‘commercial in confidence’ fit into a westminster style democracy with and accountable representative parliament?
And Frank, I know its hard to struggle with new concepts at your age but Australia is currently ranked 3rd in the world in cycling, an Australian is its world champion and more bikes were sold last year than cars in Australia. Its big here too.
A tempting argument SBH, but consider the following. Cycling was for a time the pre-eminent working-class sport (along with footie and cricket) in Australia between the wars. Think Oppy. A superstar.
No longer. Being largely ignored by the media (and as stupefying on film as yacht-racing) cycling gets no oxygen. No oxygen, no money. Plenty of sports are popular in the sense of participation (netball). Lotsa bikes get sold. Having world champs is neither here nor there. Conflating exercise, Green sanctimony and every-kid-with-a-bike doesn’t add up to a sport that many people care about, even if they ride a bike every day.
Google is your friend
<A href="http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=adelaide&ie=UTF8&ll=-34.918734,138.599739&spn=0.059118,0.11673&z=13&iwloc=addr&om=1"twit
messed up the href. Ah well.
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Clasamente Fotbal
SBH - yes and that might be a question that could be asked of any number of government spinners in just about all jurisdictions in the country…more to come on all of this
yeah I know and I ask it when I get the opportunity but as a public servant it really f*cks with your career
@philiseedogollomoo - do you mean international or national status? the international one is an old rugby argument which is irrelevant because AFL supporters really don’t care. If you mean national, it is already the national sport without question whilst also being one of the biggest spectator sports in the world. Why Rann would hold Rugby 7’s in Adelaide, which is an AFL stronghold, is mystifying but I guess - take what you can get.. it is a bit rich calling AFL boring compared to rugby!
Yeah and my cousin’s got 10000 sheep who follow each other in a trail, they are still sheep and they are still inbred.