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Interview of the year, as AFL trounces Government

Rising Rodent of the year
George Brandis
Rookie Twit of the year
Christopher Pyne
brandis.jpgpyne.jpg

Beyond the lies and corruption for which the Howard Government is well known, one aspect of their shameful reign often goes unmentioned: their utter incompetence.

Witness the pathetic invasion of AFL headquarters by Howard's stand-in rodent, George Brandis, and the very silly twit, Christopher Pyne (unbeknownst to the PM, a last minute stand in for the hysterical Peter Costello). Like two ring-ins for absent Mafia stand-over men in a B-grade comedy movie, they marched up to the big men of Aussie Rules with their little list of demands (on A4 paper without Government letterhead).

The reasons, as Greg Baum notes, are at least twofold: 1) AFL boss Andrew Demetriou pissed off the Government two years ago by questioning "whether Australia was now as tolerant and generous as the country his parents migrated to 50 years ago." And 2):

Two years ago, the AFL and Cricket Australia were resisting government pressure to sign up to the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) code, believing their own codes to be more stringent.

Angered, the Government threatened to withhold funding. Typically, this was funding used in development programs. The Government was prepared to make hostages of innocents to keep face on the world stage.

The AFL backed down, signing up to the WADA code, but keeping its own, too, making its drugs-testing regime notionally more rigorous than any other. For two years, this appeared to satisfy the Government. Now, suddenly, it does not.

That's another aspect of the Howard Government: the lust for revenge. Against anyone who has ever crossed them. Especially against organizations whom they fund, partly or wholly.

But the AFL should never have adopted testing for drugs out of competition. What players (and anyone else) do outside of "work" is there own business. Unless you happen to favour the Calvinist fundamentalist ideology that says "Don't do this and don't do that". If this country has come down to the Orwellian level of peering into our bedrooms or bathroom cabinets (for illicit drugs) then parliamentarians should suffer the same fate.

Howard has distanced himself from this backfired election ploy, and well he should as, having set it up in the first place, he was caught out on Neil Mitchell in total ignorance. You have to wonder why he thought this foolish move would produce results. Panic? A way to get back at George Brandis for calling him a rodent years ago? At Christopher Pyne for being the only and most reluctant replacement for Santo Santoro? At Peter Costello, whom he thought would be the one to be the prime target of embarrassment?

The Government is beginning to look like trapped outlaws who are turning on each other as the posse of justice closes in.

Before you go, do read the following interview. Kathy Bowlen of Stateline interviewed first George Brandis (her questions curt, eyes steely) and then Adrian Anderson, AFL Football Operations Manager. You had to have seen it, it was that hilarious. Interviewing Anderson, it was clear the two were having a great time, Anderson nearly bursting into laughter several times. It was a long, long interview and I kept saying aloud, "please stop Kathy, or I'm gonna die laughing."

I've quoted the entire interview because Anderson deserves some kind of award for calmly informing Kathy and the audience (in so many words) that the two Government officials had just made fools of a dying government led by that desiccated coconut.

KATHY BOWLEN (to Adrian Anderson) Adrian Anderson, the Sports Minister says he hopes the AFL will change its drug testing regime. Is it?

ADRIAN ANDERSON, AFL FOOTBALL OPERATIONS MANAGER: Well, look, we've just received a submission here from the Federal Government raising a few points and we'll have a look at that and consider it. What was really pleasing was that the Government acknowledged that we are the only sport that is testing for illicit drugs out of competition. That was a really positive step.

KATHY BOWLEN: The Government says it wants to test 365 days a year. Will you do that?

ADRIAN ANDERSON: Well, look, we're the only sport at the moment that tests throughout the year for illicit drugs whenever a player is at his club. So, look, we'll have a look at what they've proposed here and we're very interested in how they go with other sports as well. They're going to talk with other sports who currently don't do any illicit drug testing out of competition. We'll have a chat to them after they've done and I think that'll be very interesting.

KATHY BOWLEN: When we spoke to the Minister he said they were more interested in chasing the AFL first and then turning to other sports.

ADRIAN ANDERSON: Yes, well, that's very interesting. As I said, about two-and-a-half years ago, we decided to do something about illicit drugs out of competition and we devised this policy to test over and above to what applies in any other sport. Look, we're happy to talk to the Government about that it was really pleasing that they were so positive and congratulated us on testing our players over and above what applies anywhere else.

KATHY BOWLEN: You say the Government congratulated you, but the Minister told us that a three strikes policy is anything but tolerance.

ADRIAN ANDERSON: As I said, the Government congratulated us as being the only sport that's doing this testing. They've raised some issues about how we do that. Look, we're very happy to have a look at that and we are certainly interested in what they're proposing for other sports who currently don't do the testing. It will be a really interesting process to go through to hear what the result of their dialogue with other sports because this is more than just an AFL issue. This is about illicit drug use which is a massive issue in society. We have been trying for two-and-a-half years to do something about it in our own way, and look, I don't think there are any simple answers but we're happy to work with the Government and to look at what they've raised here and do what we can even better.

KATHY BOWLEN: Do you think your message on drug testing has gone out clearly, or has there been a problem with the way the AFL has sold its position?

ADRIAN ANDERSON: I think there has been a problem in people actually understanding what we do, I acknowledge that, and I think slowly people are beginning to understand that we are the only sport that test for illicit drugs out of competition and that's because of a genuine desire to look after the health and welfare of our players and take the lead on illicit drug testing. 

And I think slowly people are bringing to understand that. And when other sports aren't doing anything it's very easy to criticise us for stepping forward and actually trying to do something about the issue, but we make no bones about that, we think it's important to do something, and we've exposed ourselves to a bit of criticism and misunderstanding along the way, but the message is slowly getting through.

KATHY BOWLEN: The Minister sound the as though he was waiting for the AFL to move before anything else happens.

ADRIAN ANDERSON: Look, we've received this submission here which has raised four or five points for us to consider, but what else was said by the Minister was that they would be talking to other sports who currently don't do any testing for illicit drugs out of competition. We are the only ones who do that, so it will be interesting to see I think the next step will be for them to talk to other sports and them come back to us as to what they propose as an approach across the industry, so we can all work together on this very difficult issue.

KATHY BOWLEN: Did the Federal Government threaten to withhold any fund s in order to get the AFL to talk?

ADRIAN ANDERSON: No, there was no threats or anything like that, and I mean…

KATHY BOWLEN: Suggests?

ADRIAN ANDERSON: No, no threats, suggestions. I mean, it would be very odd to do that, given that we are the only ones trying to do something about illicit drugs and actually got a program to test for them. So, no, they didn't raise that, it was a constructive meeting and look, I hope and think we will be able to make some progress down the track once they've spoken to the other sports.

KATHY BOWLEN: And can I just be clear with this, the AFL won't meet with the Government now, again, on drugs testing until the Federal Government has met other sports bodies?

ADRIAN ANDERSON: Well, they indicated to us that they would be meeting other sports who currently don't do any testing for illicit drugs out of competition. We think that's the logical next step and we're certainly happy to talk to them after they've done that.

KATHY BOWLEN: Adrian Anderson, thanks for your time.

ADRIAN ANDERSON: Thanks for having me on.

-- Hyper Roland

Comments (1)

ha!
just read the Neil Mitchell article
had no idea the govts tactics were that much of a balls up

I did watch some guy on Stateline (Vic), someone from the AFL, going on about the 'drugs-testing out of comp' they do. Man, dunno how many times he repeated that, a right politician in the making. In the end it was a good bit of humour.

I think his basic message was 'yeah, yeah. come back when you want to do the job properly'.

...

oops .. just read the last part of your post
oh well, here goes anyway

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