The WA Football Family needs a new home. Football West Chief Executive Peter Hugg explains why we need your support.

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They say that sport and politics should never be mixed and, as much as possible throughout my career, I have tried to heed this general creed. However, one strong belief I do have, and will continue to communicate, is that government has a responsibility to fund sport and the associated community facilities because of the benefits they bring to society.

Thus, there are heavy political overtones in this week’s message, about which I warn you in advance, but make no apology for.

As I am sure readers would be aware, the Premier of Western Australia, Mr Colin Barnett, this week formally announced the State Election for March 9, thereby officially beginning the next four to five weeks of political campaigning and electioneering.

Forty years ago, at the Federal level, there was a national political campaign titled: “It’s Time.”
Today, we are adopting a similar theme, although our message to both sides of the political divide is that “Every family needs a home.”

Now is the time for the Football Family to get the home it deserves.

It’s time that our sport, football, the world game, and the most popular participant sport in the country and this state received the support it deserves.

It’s time that we had a state headquarters to house a centre of excellence for a sport that has produced such international stars as Stan Lazaridis, Chris Herd, Rhys Williams, Nikita Rukavytsya, Brad Jones, Katie Gill and Sam Kerr.

It’s time that our two key football bodies in WA, Football West and Perth Glory, had a professional administrative centre to accommodate the staff to administer the sport.

It’s time for the sport and its major clubs to have a facility and boutique stadium to call their own.

We are grateful to the State Government for the support we already enjoy but strongly believe it’s time for a greater commitment regarding a home for our game.

In this regard, it’s time for our sport to be granted the same key infrastructure benefits that sports such as athletics, swimming, rugby, basketball, tennis, netball, rowing, baseball, softball, gymnastics and others have in the past.

We often talk about the Football Family, which encompasses around 250,000 people, by conservative measures in this state. We talk about the great inroads that our sport has made in uniting the various factions and constituents, the many programs and activities that we run in the community and the many initiatives and cutting edge products that we have instigated and developed.

As CEO of this organisation, which consists of 37,000 registered members, 110,000 participants, and many more supporters and fans throughout the state, I commit to lobbying vigorously on behalf of the Football Family for our Home of Football.

Please join us on this campaign because, after all…

EVERY FAMILY NEEDS A HOME

Peter Hugg
Chief Executive

www.footballwest.com.au