ARU fee structure change for 2015

[Quick Hands]

Think that Other category is for the community rugby expenses and grants (eg the premier rugby costs which have just been cut) & corporate expenditure.

Corporate is one area that definitely needs a cut and to Pulver's credit by all accounts the ARU is running much leaner these days.

Not least because JON's salary is now off the books

Although according to the graph there is a $5 million payment to community rugby shown in dark blue as member distribution and the other $5 million is simply shown as yellow meaning other. So the grants would be covered by the first $5 million, what is the other???

I couldn't help but notice that in 2012 wages increased by $2.5 million, $1.2 million of which was contractual incentive payments and $.4 million salary review increases. Not bad for an organisation which lost $8 million that year.

 

[kiap]

Although according to the graph there is a $5 million payment to community rugby shown in dark blue as member distribution and the other $5 million is simply shown as yellow meaning other. So the grants would be covered by the first $5 million, what is the other???

Part went via the states, part directly allocated (as of next year now chopped back).

 

[Strewthcobber]

Although according to the graph there is a $5 million payment to community rugby shown in dark blue as member distribution and the other $5 million is simply shown as yellow meaning other. So the grants would be covered by the first $5 million, what is the other??

I think someone else has already replied but 5m goes directly to the unions to do with as they want, and the other component is for the ARU's community programs.

That included premier rugby funding, indigenous, women, coach and ref training, edrugby and walla rugby etc

2014 and especially 2015 will be different

 

[namtrak]

For all the talk of millions of dollars going back into the community. The only actual benefit our club gets is insurance cover (albiet only for ambulance and catastrophic injury). We are buying our own pads, jumpers, ground markers, shorts, shirts, socks ad infinitum. We may get an annual visit from a recognised player or two if we are lucky.

 

[Brendan Hume]

For all the talk of millions of dollars going back into the community. The only actual benefit our club gets is insurance cover (albiet only for ambulance and catastrophic injury). We are buying our own pads, jumpers, ground markers, shorts, shirts, socks ad infinitum. We may get an annual visit from a recognised player or two if we are lucky.

And this is really the only thing that matters. For the ARU to drag money out of the community to manage community rugby is ridiculous. The ARU and states have not managed the grassroots areas of the game very well. There are certain aspects of the game that require some degree of centralisation - training resources (coach, referee ed, etc), administrative resources (MyRugby, etc). These need to be paid for by the game - a levy is an okay way to cover much of this cost. The problem that we have though, is that the ARU and some of the states are seeing this as an opportunity to collect all the money that is currently being spent on community rugby programs from the community with no plan on how to better deliver these resources to the community, and no consultation on what the community actually needs. And therein lies the problem. Townsville is an excellent example where a DO has been employed by the QRU and moved to Townsville (from Brisbane I believe) to run a Rookies 2 Reds program that will see maybe a couple of hundred kids. This is an extraordinary waste of money. Yet this is counted as delivering a service to the community. This is why most of the funds from the levy here needs to be removed, a core set of assets needs to be funded by the reduced levy, and the national and state bodies should work towards developing sustainable sub-unions that manage the community game themselves.

 

[Strewthcobber]

ARU "community" funding doesn't appear to be going to the clubs which makes some sort of sense. That should be the member unions remit.

It appears to be going to rugby outside of the club system. School kids etc. Got to get those ridiculous participation stats up somehow.

 

[Quick Hands]

ARU "community" funding doesn't appear to be going to the clubs which makes some sort of sense. That should be the member unions remit.

It appears to be going to rugby outside of the club system. School kids etc. Got to get those ridiculous participation stats up somehow.

One of the first things the ARU should do, before implementing levies is coming up with a blueprint as to how all levels of the game should be funded.

i.e. who pays for what, who receives what, by what mechanism are funds distributed, how are development officers distributed, how many are needed, what role states, regions, clubs have, what things are currently being duplicated and what are being neglected. Consult with people first and then publicise widely.

Unfortunately we don't have anything which looks remotely like this, we just have tinkering and ad hoc pronouncements.

Clubs should be funded according to the number of players, and the ARU and state unions need to focus on building up the club system across the country - the schools are doing ok, just leave them to do their own thing and stop obsessing about them.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Clubs should be funded according to the number of players, and the ARU and state unions need to focus on building up the club system across the country - the schools are doing ok, just leave them to do their own thing and stop obsessing about them.

I don't disagree but this ARU funding isn't going to GPS schools.

Its for edrugby, walla rugby and try rugby. Getting primary school kids into the game, before they even know what a rugby club is

 

[Quick Hands]

I don't disagree but this ARU funding isn't going to GPS schools.

Its for edrugby, walla rugby and try rugby. Getting primary school kids into the game, before they even know what a rugby club is

If that's where the money is going, it's being poorly directed. This area once had a thriving zone competiton for high schools on a Wednesday afternoon and a thriving PSSA competition for primary schools on a Friday afternoon. The high schools now play soccer and touch football and the primary schools play league and soccer.

Running one off gala days is ok, but it's no substitute for regular weekly competition.

I suspect that much of this activity and expenditure is more about box-ticking and appearing to do something rather than being part of a long term strategy to grow the game.

 

[Brendan Hume]

One of the first things the ARU should do, before implementing levies is coming up with a blueprint as to how all levels of the game should be funded.

i.e. who pays for what, who receives what, by what mechanism are funds distributed, how are development officers distributed, how many are needed, what role states, regions, clubs have, what things are currently being duplicated and what are being neglected. Consult with people first and then publicise widely.

Unfortunately we don't have anything which looks remotely like this, we just have tinkering and ad hoc pronouncements.

Clubs should be funded according to the number of players, and the ARU and state unions need to focus on building up the club system across the country - the schools are doing ok, just leave them to do their own thing and stop obsessing about them.

I can't like this comment enough. The only thing that should probably be said is that size shouldn't be a huge influence on club funding - in fact I don't think clubs should receive any funding. The only funding the ARU and states need to do for community rugby is having assets employed to deliver the required education, and ensure the administrative and governance functions are operating correctly. And provide some leadership and a map to success.

 

[Quick Hands]

If the ARU is to continue with its policy of imposing fees on clubs, then natural justice demands that the clubs have direct representation on the ARU board.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

the ARU ... ensure the administrative and governance functions are operating correctly. And provide some leadership and a map to success.

You means stick to what they are really good at? Or is this a joke?

 

[kiap]

If the ARU is to continue with its policy of imposing fees on clubs, then natural justice demands that the clubs have direct representation on the ARU board.

Grassroots net dollar contribution was negative 5 percent so that's -5% of the board's seats. With the fee increase making the grassroots subsidise the pros there'd be a need to be more generous and bump it up to 0.5% of seats.

More seriously though, what's needed is an independent board. They're not there yet.

 

[Brendan Hume]

You means stick to what they are really good at? Or is this a joke?

Fair enough, you might be being facetious, but it's true that most clubs in Australia are run by volunteers who can require advice on these things - code of conduct issues, insurance, etc. And I think a national system of administration such as MyRugby is really important, and as technology evolves it's important that the community continues to invest in development of these systems to enable ease of use for volunteers - an app based team sheet system would be a great example.
Getting back to the OP, I don't want to be too negative or rubbish the job that has been done so far - we do have a great sport, we're competitive on the global scene, and we have a great game that promotes values which reflect my own values. It's important that the ARU and states recognise though, that this plan to load up costs onto community rugby without proper consultation and planning is doomed to fail. If the community rugby model as it stands is not sustainable, don't try and patch it up by doing the same shit and charging the community for it - allow the community to decide what it requires and move forward in partnership from there.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Fair enough, you might be being facetious, but it's true that most clubs in Australia are run by volunteers who can require advice on these things - code of conduct issues, insurance, etc. And I think a national system of administration such as MyRugby is really important, and as technology evolves it's important that the community continues to invest in development of these systems to enable ease of use for volunteers - an app based team sheet system would be a great example.
Getting back to the OP, I don't want to be too negative or rubbish the job that has been done so far - we do have a great sport, we're competitive on the global scene, and we have a great game that promotes values which reflect my own values. It's important that the ARU and states recognise though, that this plan to load up costs onto community rugby without proper consultation and planning is doomed to fail. If the community rugby model as it stands is not sustainable, don't try and patch it up by doing the same shit and charging the community for it - allow the community to decide what it requires and move forward in partnership from there.

I think by the end there you were agreeing with me....I was certainly agreeing with you

 

[Quick Hands]

More seriously though, what's needed is an independent board. They're not there yet.

Or at least a board that is reflective of the broader community and rugby community, as opposed to a board which is reflective of the former students of a narrow range of schools, drawn from a narrow range of occupations/life experience.

 

[Brendan Hume]

I think by the end there you were agreeing with me..I was certainly agreeing with you

I recognised the sarcasm in your previous post, and I didn't mean to sound narcy, it's just such a serious issue to me that I wanted to reinforce a couple of those points. The sad thing is we keep seeming to go over the same ground but the message isn't going to the decision makers. I'm hopeful that happens in the proper forum, and that all of this preaching to the converted isn't in vain.


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[Dingasden]

Just make sure a representative from every Sydney Junior club attends the SJRU AGM tomorrow night at Ryde. Discussion on the levy & insurance fee follows so good chance to voice your clubs concerns


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[Quick Hands]

I recognised the sarcasm in your previous post, and I didn't mean to sound narcy, it's just such a serious issue to me that I wanted to reinforce a couple of those points. The sad thing is we keep seeming to go over the same ground but the message isn't going to the decision makers. I'm hopeful that happens in the proper forum, and that all of this preaching to the converted isn't in vain.


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Alas the decision makers don't get it for the reasons outlined in post 116

 

[Jaghond]

Copied from NSW Subbies Thread - for relevance here as well.

The hairs on the tail are bristling...

I believe that the Chairman of Subbies has recently ( ie today) forwarded a scathing letter to the ARU regarding the implementation of the NIL & NPF fopr 2015 - and I suspect will have significant support from Sydney & Country Junior RU's, and NSW Country RU too.

Me thinks the fur is about to start flying..