Australian Tax Office applies to have Brisbane Roar wound up due to unpaid debt

The financial plight of A-League club Brisbane Roar is a cause of concern for the Queensland Government.

Brisbane Roar are adamant their future is secure despite the Australian Tax Office having applied to the Federal Court to have the club wound up over an unpaid six-figure debt.

Roar chief executive officer Kaz Patafta – currently in Indonesia for meetings with club owners the Bakrie Group – said the substantial amount of money owed was a “historical debt” that existed before the club’s current management team of him and chief operations office Zac Anderson took charge of the A-League outfit in July 2023.

“The club has been working collaboratively with the ATO over this matter for some time and has a plan in place to resolve imminently,” Patafta said.

It’s understood the Bakrie Group has committed to paying the debt as early as next week.

The Australian Professional Leagues, which runs the A-League, has been brought up to date on the matter and is confident the Roar will deal with the issue.

Queensland minister for sport Tim Mander is concerned about the ‘health’ of Brisbane Roar. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images for Rugby Australia

However, Queensland’s minister for sport Tim Mander on Friday admitted to being concerned about the state of the club.

“We want them to be healthy,” Mander said of the Roar.

“They’ve had a bit of a struggle in recent years. I watched one of their games about a month ago and it was a great experience.

“Football is the most popular junior sport, so it’s important that they have something to aspire to, and they have pathways to those elite levels.”