Surfing event runs up losses and can't pay. Surfing SA is bankrupt. And Surfing Australia has to step in to clear up the debits of its state branch. But there's no money. The South Australian Tourism Dept had to step in to pay local business that put up money in good faith, supporting the surfing event.
The long and short, is that Surfing SA (and Surfing Australia) appear to be running wild, no budgets, no experience and now we know, NO money.
And heads are starting to roll in the SA government. Today, (1 March) SA Tourism announced changes to top staff and the need to save $1.2 million annually.
Sponsors and the government are not going to give any more money to Surfing Australia or the surfing industry. If they do, they will find they could face the same massive losses and more heads will roll in government
Rumour has it the Surfing SA CEO was sacked. But he's now claiming unfair dismissal. And from all accounts, he has a good case.
All of this has a sense of de ja vu. The British Surfing Association (BSA) was dogged with the same money problems, then one of their staff was sacked, went for unfair dismissal and won. It appears the BSA had been trading insolvent for a while including owing over ?50,000 to the tax office for unpaid taxes.
The British Surfing Association went bankrupt just over 14 months ago.
They say Australia is about 1 year behind the rest of the world.
Could this be a prophecy for the demise of Surfing Australia ?
Sounds like history repeating. Probably the best thing for the Australian surfing industry - is to have a clearing of the decks and get surfing back to the basics - instead of the current illusions of grandeur where Surfing Australia want to control Stand Up Paddle and just about anything that moves (including their puppet people ! ).
Taxpayers slugged for surfing event failurewww.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-07/bailout-taxpayers-kangaroo-island-surfing/3815798
There has been a taxpayer-funded bailout of a surfing event on Kangaroo Island.
South Australian Tourism Minister Gail Gago says about $400,000 will go to 16 businesses on the island which helped stage last year's event.
She says the money will be from the existing budget of the South Australian Tourism Commission, which was a sponsor of the competition last November.
Organisers said the remote location, at Vivonne Bay on the island's southern coast, had led to higher costs than expected, a point the Minister has made again today.
"Some of the problems included just the scale of the event, it also being in a very remote location and the very short lead-up time meant that the event was more expensive to stage than anticipated," she said.
"Many of these types of events often don't make money in their first year - for instance the Tour Down Under [cycling] took a number of years to run before it was actually able to pay for itself, so we need to look at these things closely and then make a decision about future events."
Ferry operator Sealink has agreed to write off more than $70,000 it is owed by the event organiser, Surfing SA, but CEO Jeff Ellison hopes the surf event has a future.
"I think there were a lot of once up set up costs, environmental assessments and things like that done, some extra boardwalks that were put in place and tracks to keep people away from the natural environment, so those sort of costs were pretty significant as set up costs and we won't incur those again," he said.
Change at top for troubled tourism body
ABC Updated March 1, 2012, 1:37 pm http://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/latest/a/-/article/13057893/change-at-top-for-troubled-tourism-body/
Tourism Commission CEO Ian Darbyshire is being replaced by chairman Jane Jeffreys as a part-time CEO.
South Australian Tourism Minister Gail Gago has announced changes for the troubled Commission.
"These changes do not reflect [the CEO's] performance in any way whatsoever," she said.
"What it does reflect is the need to drive efficiencies and bring about cost savings."
Ms Gago said the interim arrangements would last for a year at most.
"This is an interim arrangement so we can restructure and reform the Commission to make it flatter," she said.
"Jane Jeffreys has been appointed ... to steer SATC through the reform process.
"Ms Jeffreys has extensive experience working with boards and senior management teams. She is well-placed to undertake these roles."
The Commission has been dogged by problems, including a failed outsourcing of the South Australian Travel Centre and a taxpayer-bailout of losses for a Kangaroo Island surfing festival.
Ms Gago said the Commission board had been asked to find ways to save another $1.2 million annually.
AFISH, thanks for the information, but how come this hasn't made the headlines of a newspaper or new program Australia wide yet? Something smells fishy here!
Sounds like a misinterpretation of the article quoted within the post anyway.
A Fish is trolling I'm sure but it's pretty clear where it comes from.
I wish this forum like some others showed the I.P address of posters, it sure would stop people stirring anonymously and having malicious double sign ins.
AFISH, do not take me on for the title of most red thumbs.....you will loose and loose bad.
if this is from who we think it is and form suggests it is, again they are coming across as second rate and desperate- no experience or professionalism or standards
Puppet people?
You mean like these guys at the recent Vicco Titles?
Guy with the snowy hair is Max Wells, CEO of Surfing Vic. Ex school teacher I believe, he actually wrote the Surfing In Schools program back in the eighties and has largely been responsible for the acceptance of surfing as a school sport and for the development of career paths in the surfing industry for both school aged and tertiary students.
The Head judge is the youngish bloke sitting in the middle. His name is Adam Robbo, you might have heard of him, he was runner up in the Bells comp a few years back and now spends a goodly amount of time travelling around the State running surf clinics predominantly for young blokes. The emphasis is not just on the surfing but the whole lifestyle thing, helping kids make the right life choices and keeping them away from the bad stuff.
Bloke on the end is Ross Slaven, charter member of the Torquay Boardriders club and some one who has given tirelessly of his time and energy in the promotion of amatuer surfing in the State of Victoria, also a prime mover of the interclub and Teams Titles movement nationwide.
What calibre puppet are you running with Assfish
Cheers
Sparx
Amazing how unprofessional and naive these guys are, can't work out what they think they will achieve.
Trying to make a few bucks out of the industry compared to guys of the calibre of Max and Robbo and all the others that give tirelessly for the love of the sport.
And the worst thing IMO is this gutless hiding behind fake names, total losers.
Any company especially those running events know that in this country your greatest commercial challanges will almost always come in SA due to the size of the population, infrastructure issues and ROI possible in that state. Surfing isnt Robinson Crusoe.
Phill
SUPA vs SURFING AUS... its a no brainer!
SUPA are fragmenting SUP as an organised sport without proper consultation of participants thru local clubs. They appear to be trying to establish the same pathways that ALREADY EXIST thru Surfing Aus including state, national & world titles for surfing & racing. As the representative for the SA SUPCrew, my personal experiences with SUPA have been negative & non responsive.
On the other hand, Surfing Aus have local representatives accessable to everyone in each state & have been responsive to the needs of local clubs by instigating all forms of SUP racing into their national SUP calendar. Surfing Aus are pro active for SUP & have the backing of the Govt as the major surfing body. It appears Surfing Aus have the support of clubs in WA,SA & VIC, & the support of top athletes in NSW & QLD.
SUP is part of the surfing scene & must intergrate with the other surfing disciplines, to go it alone IMO would be creating more animosity, not what the sport needs.
The recent Surfing Aus SUP conference held in Qld recognised the potential of SUP as a surfing sport & concluded with representatives being chosen from each state to form a National SUP Committee.
The bottom line is, support your local club & Surfing Aus!
Surfing SA is fully functional with new staff. The state SUP titles will go ahead as planned on May 19th on the south coast.
We have had nothing but great support from Surfing Qld/Surfing Australia for SUP on the Gold Coast too, and as a well established, government backed body, I can't see any reason to change something that is good and working!
Their years of experience with surfing competitions and now a formalised structure for progression from grass roots to world championships for SUPs makes it a no brainer when it comes to supporting their events, and recognising them as a true State - National - International Championship pathway.
Question
SUPA where going to have vic titles back in january but pulled the pin, on the event, why did this happen?
From my understanding in victoria has affiliantions with Surfing australia, surfing victoria, supvic and bassup. From what i have experienced these organistions do a fantastic job. (are there any other clubs or commeties in victoria that are sup related)
