Territory rugby league referee associations locked in NTCAT battle over $8,311

A Territory rugby league referee civil war over a sum of money has been sent to the bunker, with one association’s existence brought into question. Read what was said.

Anzac Oval, the home of Alice Springs rugby league. Picture: Gera Kazakov

A Territory referee dispute between two associations over $8311.56 has been sent to the bunker, with the question of one’s current existence brought into question.

The NT Rugby League Referees Association-Alice Springs has dragged the overarching NT Rugby League Referees Association to the NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT).

On Friday, the case was back in the NTCAT Casuarina conference room, where the tribunal heard from representatives for the southern and NT refs.

The Red Centre association gave the funds to the NT in May 2019 for safekeeping when their standing as a legal entity took a downward turn.

However, Stephen Smith has since filed an application on behalf of the old committee to ask those funds be donated to the Alice Springs Touch Football Association.

Mr Smith’s application states the southern umpires want to put the funds towards assisting “juniors when raising funds to travel for representative duties”.

But on Friday, questions were raised about the southern association’s ability to make an application, due to its inactive nature.

Stephen Smith of Alice Springs. Photo: EMMA MURRAY

NT refs president and treasurer Jason Woodman, during the tribunal, said the money had become part of the northern association when the former Alice Springs branch stopped operating.

“That branch of the association ceased to exist and the money was transferred to Darwin, we are a like-minded organisation and the money was transferred to us,” he said.

“The new committee that is overseeing Alice Springs decides what happens to the money, not former members.

“As an association we are in charge of the whole Territory, we don’t have sub committees or separate arms, for example there’s a competition in Katherine we run that’s not separated.”

The case first came to the NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) on February 10, with the Red Centre umpire association seeking to recoup the sum.

On Friday, Mr Smith said he believed the “best use” of the $8.3k would be having it put towards touch football.

“(Touch football) is a partner and a lot of junior referees have come through their talent pool,” he said.

“Rugby league in Alice Springs is on the decline and the members involved were all at the age where we’ve decided to cease refereeing.

“Those who were refereeing weren’t involved in the association so in good faith we placed the funds with the NTRL referees association with the hope ours would kick off again.”

The matter was presided over by NTCAT member Andrew Macrides, who gave Mr Smith six weeks to file a new initiating application.

The case will return to the tribunal in August.

Originally published as Territory rugby league referee associations locked in NTCAT battle over $8,311