Gold Coast Suns and Titans fire back at Sports Minister Mick de Brenni
THE Gold Coast’s AFL and NRL footy clubs have united to slam Labor minister Mick de Brenni’s un-Australian attitude to sport and accuse him of peddling falsehoods about Queensland Stadium deals.
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GOLD Coast’s footy clubs have united to slam Labor minister Mick de Brenni’s un-Australian attitude to sport and accuse him of peddling falsehoods about Stadiums Queensland deals.
The city’s NRL and AFL clubs united after sports minister de Brenni issued a public smackdown of the Titans and Suns claiming their financial woes were the result of poor on-field performances.
The Titans say they pay about $500,000 more a year in government fees than their NSW rivals while the Suns insist they have made repeat proposals for a better deal for Metricon Stadium that incur “zero costs to Government”.
Both clubs say Mr de Brenni is wildly out of touch with Australian values around sporting participation and his comments were an attack on the Gold Coast community.
Suns chairman Tony Cochrane said Mr de Brenni’s comments were “harmful and disrespectful to the Suns and our community”.
In a statement to members, the Titans attempt to address “a number of inaccuracies and false assertations” in regard to the hiring arrangements at Cbus Stadium made by Mr de Brenni.
The club claims it is the most efficient operation in the NRL competition but still operates at a loss because of unfair stadium deals.
“The Titans have never sought government assistance to underwrite the operating costs of our business as has been insinuated,” the statement said.
“Our only objective throughout discussions with government, stretching over the past 3½ years, has been to reach a long-term agreement on fair commercial terms similar to those in place for NRL clubs hiring government owned venues in other states. The difference between government charges currently imposed on the Titans and those in place for very similar facilities in NSW is approaching $500k per annum.
“The inference that only winning clubs have a right to survive goes against every accepted national trait we try to instil in young Australians,” the Titans said.
Insiders from across Queensland’s sporting landscape told The Courier-Mail de Brenni’s stunning claim that “Clubs with a winning formula can make a strong profit utilising our stadiums’’ were a nonsense that ignored the financial woes A League club Queensland Roar battled through a period of dominance when they won three championships in four years.
It also angered the Titans who believed a Government that only valued winning was out of step with Australian values.
“The inference that only winning clubs have a right to survive goes against every accepted national trait we try to instil in young Australians encouraging participation, sportsmanship, and continuously striving to improve regardless of results,” the Titans said.
The Titans and Suns say they happily provide community services that should be the responsibilities of Governments which save taxpayers millions.
“The Titans undertake this work at our own cost as good corporate citizens because we see the difference it makes in the lives of people every day. The community initiatives that The Titans support are across multiple important areas including education, indigenous programs, and grassroots development.’’
Our community values sport, this was on show for everyone to see during the Commonwealth Games and highlights these comments are at odds with how this community feels about sport, and its contribution to our Australian way of life.
Originally published as Gold Coast Suns and Titans fire back at Sports Minister Mick de Brenni
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