Taxpayers fund AFL expansion

[OzRorter]

I've copied this ad nauseum from another site, just wanted to see the reaction from the locals and this was the 1st UK sports forum google found for me.

 

The name 'Brian Clarke' pops up as the contact person for 'Aussie Rules International' and gives a London address (Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square) as the HQ of 'Aussie Rules International'.

 

Did a little deeper and we find that the HQ of 'Aussie Rules International' is actually the HQ of Sport England (sportengland.org), a tax-payer funded Government organisation dedicated to promoting grass-roots participation in sport.

 

Who is this Brian Clarke? Brian, an ex-pat Aussie, works for Sport England. He runs anti-obesity programs in English schools. The programs he runs includes 9 a side 'touch AFL' clinic in schools - they're generally intended to get the less fit kids (or those that don't like soccer or can't hack rugby) involved in sports.

 

That's his job. He's paid by the tax payers of the United Kingdom to do it.

 

However, Brian wears other hats - he is also known as 'General Manager, Aussie Rules UK' (same address and contact details given), as well as the President of the 'International Aussie Rules' (again, his work detials given).

 

The goal of 'Aussie Rules International' is to:

 

 

Quote:

As a development body, ARI looks forward to assisting the AFL and international bodies to identify and tap into the many opportunities and revenue streams that exist outside Australia.

 

 

I ask the question - how much time does Brian spend doing this (i.e. running business development programs for the AFL) and how much time does he spend actually doing his job?

 

Any UK tax-payers here who would like to ask the UK Government and Sport England why they are paying for the AFL to explore business opportunities overseas?

[Heyesey]

how much time does Brian spend doing this (i.e. running business development programs for the AFL) and how much time does he spend actually doing his job?

 

A perfectly reasonable question. I'd stake a small wager, though, that the answer is, he spends ALL of the time he's paid to be at work, doing his legitimate job, and the other stuff he does outside of Sport England's office hours (or at least, whatever those office hours are in relation to him).

 

Anyone know the terms of his contract? Maybe he's only contracted to work for Sport England for 18 hours a week.