Post by Druzik on Feb 16, 2009 6:46:55 GMT 10
www.stuff.co.nz/4848479a10713.html
Report demands rugby league must change
By STEVE KILGALLON - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 15 February 2009
A damning report to be released tomorrow demands immediate and wholesale change to the sport of rugby league in New Zealand if it is to "have a future".
Calling the past eight years a "sorry chapter in the history" of league, the Anderson Report is relentlessly critical of the sport's management since 2000. The Sparc-sponsored review, led by former cricket boss Sir John Anderson, aims a trenchant swipe at more than $2 million thrown away on foolish pub purchases.
It says league has lacked vision, sound management and any sense of direction and demands immediate changes - including the resignation of the entire board, although the present members escape specific criticism.
Demanding in bold type that "things have to change", the report lays a series of conditions that must be followed or Sparc will withdraw an offer of $450,000 of interim funding to prop up the game until September, by when the restructure must be completed.
The report says league has no "shared vision" and "no meaningful strategic plan" and castigates the decline of playing numbers to a "very low" 17,000, particularly in the key six to 11 years age group.
It says the sport has ignored the findings of a string of governance reviews, which heavily criticised almost every aspect of the sport's management.
Until now, the last of these, by PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2007 has been suppressed, but is attached as a stinging appendix to the 163-page document.
The report paints a dream picture in five years time of a "vibrant, growing sport ... with ethics/standards the community is proud to support" with a proper national competition, a proper pathway for kids to become Kiwis, paid administrators (not overworked volunteers) running all districts, increased player numbers and corporate sponsors.
It says all that is possible if every recommendation is accepted.
For the report to be adopted, a special meeting of league's 15 districts and seven affiliates on March 28 must give 75 percent support.
The existing board has given its backing to changes which include a new constitution, a restructure of the board from nine members to seven, at least three of them independent, a Sparc-dominated appointments committee to vet candidates and a new chairman, effectively imposed by Sparc.
The government funding agency also wants a permanent chief executive appointment, new board behaviour standards, a proper strategic plan, a full review of staff (with an implication of restructuring). The game itself would be restructured into seven zones, run by paid administrators. The big areas would look after the smaller, and the powerbroking Auckland League split into three.
When it comes to the NZRL's record in dealing with poker machines and pubs, totalling up the loss on those investments at $2,009,150, the report is damning. "It is a sorry chapter in the history of New Zealand rugby league ... the actions of those involved not following good governance practises has led to a culture of mistrust and a belief that manipulation and 'clipping the ticket' is the norm," the report says.
"The of abuse democracy has been damaging ... management of these investments has been a fine line between financial incompetence and financial mismanagement.
"Retribution, with districts being put in review or individuals under attack for asking valid questions as to the use of funds or the financial outcome of the investments, were actions that many consider brought the game into disrepute and tarnished its reputation."
Report demands rugby league must change
By STEVE KILGALLON - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 15 February 2009
A damning report to be released tomorrow demands immediate and wholesale change to the sport of rugby league in New Zealand if it is to "have a future".
Calling the past eight years a "sorry chapter in the history" of league, the Anderson Report is relentlessly critical of the sport's management since 2000. The Sparc-sponsored review, led by former cricket boss Sir John Anderson, aims a trenchant swipe at more than $2 million thrown away on foolish pub purchases.
It says league has lacked vision, sound management and any sense of direction and demands immediate changes - including the resignation of the entire board, although the present members escape specific criticism.
Demanding in bold type that "things have to change", the report lays a series of conditions that must be followed or Sparc will withdraw an offer of $450,000 of interim funding to prop up the game until September, by when the restructure must be completed.
The report says league has no "shared vision" and "no meaningful strategic plan" and castigates the decline of playing numbers to a "very low" 17,000, particularly in the key six to 11 years age group.
It says the sport has ignored the findings of a string of governance reviews, which heavily criticised almost every aspect of the sport's management.
Until now, the last of these, by PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2007 has been suppressed, but is attached as a stinging appendix to the 163-page document.
The report paints a dream picture in five years time of a "vibrant, growing sport ... with ethics/standards the community is proud to support" with a proper national competition, a proper pathway for kids to become Kiwis, paid administrators (not overworked volunteers) running all districts, increased player numbers and corporate sponsors.
It says all that is possible if every recommendation is accepted.
For the report to be adopted, a special meeting of league's 15 districts and seven affiliates on March 28 must give 75 percent support.
The existing board has given its backing to changes which include a new constitution, a restructure of the board from nine members to seven, at least three of them independent, a Sparc-dominated appointments committee to vet candidates and a new chairman, effectively imposed by Sparc.
The government funding agency also wants a permanent chief executive appointment, new board behaviour standards, a proper strategic plan, a full review of staff (with an implication of restructuring). The game itself would be restructured into seven zones, run by paid administrators. The big areas would look after the smaller, and the powerbroking Auckland League split into three.
When it comes to the NZRL's record in dealing with poker machines and pubs, totalling up the loss on those investments at $2,009,150, the report is damning. "It is a sorry chapter in the history of New Zealand rugby league ... the actions of those involved not following good governance practises has led to a culture of mistrust and a belief that manipulation and 'clipping the ticket' is the norm," the report says.
"The of abuse democracy has been damaging ... management of these investments has been a fine line between financial incompetence and financial mismanagement.
"Retribution, with districts being put in review or individuals under attack for asking valid questions as to the use of funds or the financial outcome of the investments, were actions that many consider brought the game into disrepute and tarnished its reputation."
