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From today’s SMH by Roy Masters:
The Bulldogs have been unsuccessful in their attempt to entice all NSW-based NRL clubs to contribute $5000 each towards the election campaign of NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley, who is contesting the March poll as a Liberal Party candidate.Annesley, a former referee and long-term NRL official, is considered a certainty to win the NSW seat of Miranda following his loss by 500 votes four years earlier. Canterbury director Ray Dib told a meeting of NRL chairmen in Sydney on Monday his club would be making a contribution, prompting the possibility all NSW-based clubs would follow. It received a mixed reaction, with the meeting deciding it would be inappropriate to make a group donation.
‘‘The view was that clubs would make up their own minds whether to donate,’’ Wests Tigers chairman David Trodden said. ‘‘There was a range of views whether it was appropriate or not. Clubs collectively are certainly not doing anything about it.’’
Annesley has been a hard-working, dedicated and capable official but some clubs fear a group donation could be perceived as buying political favour.
Miranda is the most marginal Labor-held seat in NSW, and there is a possibility Annesley will be given the sport portfolio. Trodden said: ‘‘He is an honourable bloke but these things are all perception.’’
Furthermore, Annesley’s position at NRL headquarters has involved some critical game-influencing decisions, meaning a donation could be viewed as payment for services rendered some clubs.
‘‘The position he is in complicates the matter,’’ Trodden admitted.
Annesley described the response to the Bulldogs’ request as ‘‘a mixed bag’’. ‘‘I’ve been told a number of clubs are going to make a donation but others wouldn’t because they had already made political donations,’’ he said.
''I don’t expect to make a lot of money from it. I’m no different to any political candidate.
‘‘There is a relatively large cost associated with running a campaign. If any club contributes, I’d be grateful.’’
Nor did he see anything sinister in the proposal.
‘‘There are laws around disclosure,’’ he said. ''All donations must be declared and go into a Liberal Party account, and not to me personally. There is nothing secretive about this. A couple of clubs expressed an interest in helping, and it’s going to be a matter for individual clubs whether they make a contribution.
‘‘It’s recognition of my role over a long period of time.’’
Annesley rejected the notion his election was fait accompli and didn’t require pamphlets and paraphernalia.
‘‘Winning the seat remains to be seen, and a campaign still costs money,’’ he said.
Annesley controlled 250 first-grade matches during his refereeing career, which started in 1982 and ended in 1997. Asked if clubs refusing to donate did so because they remembered him not as an administrator but as a referee, he said: ‘‘You could draw that conclusion.’’
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Dib is a flip - good to see the other clubs realise backing a partisan candidate in a distant electorate is not acceptable!!!
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Yeah they shouldn’t be paying political groups money. It would cause more trouble than it’s worth.
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Gees, I thought they were trying to downsize political donations, are they hoping that Annesley becomes the Sports Minister.
The only club that should consider a donation is the club from his intended electorate, he still has to win doesn’t he! -
@Leroy The Tigers Fan:
Gees, I thought they were trying to downsize political donations, are they hoping that Annesley becomes the Sports Minister.
The only club that should consider a donation is the club from his intended electorate, he still has to win doesn’t he!The club from his electorate cannot afford a $5000 donation without an advance from the NRL!
But no club should be donating to a partisan politician - as those commitments will eventually come home to haunt you when seeking/or/receiving government dough!
Dumb move by a Dib!!!
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Annesley controlled 250 first-grade matches during his refereeing career, which started in 1982 and ended in 1997. Asked if clubs refusing to donate did so because they remembered him not as an administrator but as a referee, he said: ‘‘You could draw that conclusion.’’
Perhaps they are refusing to donate because he’s an idiot and comments like the last one don’t help him refute those opinions… If he wants to run for parliament he can do it without 5k from the WT coffers.
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A poor decision to donate club money to a political party, if they are that keen to donate money they should give it to charity or the kids hospital.
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A poor decision to donate club money to a political party, if they are that keen to donate money they should give it to charity or the kids hospital.
The only club that has made a commitment to Annesley are the 'dogs!
Trodden led the way in explaining to his imbecile fellow chairmen why it was not sound!
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