Government to pay for some international athletes to fly to Arafura Games in last-ditch bid to boost competitor numbers

THE Arafura Games will pay for some athletes’ flights to Darwin in a last-ditch bid to boost competitor numbers

The 2011 Arafura Games Opening Ceremony at TIO Stadium ... the Games will pay for some athletes’ flights to Darwin in a last-ditch bid to boost competitor numbers this year

THE Arafura Games will pay for some athletes’ flights to Darwin in a last-ditch bid to boost competitor numbers.

But the Northern Territory Government has denied taxpayers are footing the bill for the flights, saying they have been funded by a new “gold” sponsor.

The Government refused to say who the sponsor was or how many flights had been offered, but it’s understood about 50 athletes will fly to Darwin for free.

Arafura Games Minister Natasha Fyles said the Government had been working to re-engage countries who had removed the Arafura Games from their sporting calendars after the Games were scrapped in 2012, “and liaising with countries to ensure athletes who want to take part are able to do so”.

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“To achieve this, through a sponsorship deal with Jetstar Asia, and the generosity of a Gold Arafura Games sponsor, some athletes have received complimentary flights,” she said in a statement.

The free flights have been offered despite a previous commitment from former Arafura Games minister Ken Vowles that athletes would pay their own way.

“There are no incentives for them to come here and compete, our budget is purely designed to run the Games venues and competition,” Mr Vowles said last year.

Independent MLA Robyn Lambley said the Government had now reneged on that commitment.

“The Territory Government actually said that they wouldn’t be sponsoring or paying for people to come to the games, they’ve already blown the budget,” she said.

“This is not on.”

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Ms Lambley said if a new sponsor had come on board that money should be used to reduce the budget blowout, not fund flights.

“I think we’re splitting hairs here, there’s just no way in the world that Northern Territory taxpayers should be paying for people to participate in the Arafura Games, particularly if they’re from overseas countries,” she said.

Ms Lambley was the treasurer in the CLP government when it decided to suspend the Games in 2012.

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“We did an analysis of the net gain to the Northern Territory of the Arafura Games, it didn’t stack up then and I feel in the current economic climate it wouldn’t be stacking up now,” she said.

“They haven’t worked out the viability, they haven’t done a proper business plan … and the fact that they’re even considering paying for people to attend is outrageous.”