Palmer United Party will disband ASADA and fund youth sport

The Palmer United Party will disband the Labor-created Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) and redirect its funding to grass roots sport if it wins government at the September 7 election.

Palmer United Party candidate for Denison, Debra Thurley said ASADA had been used as a public relations tool by the federal Labor government and had caused serious damage to reputations of sporting idols.

Mrs Thurley said ASADA investigations into the NRL and AFL have cost Australian taxpayers millions of wasteful dollars but has resulted in nothing more than a witch hunt that has left a number of damaged reputations in its wake.

“Sports Minister Kate Lundy and Minister for Justice, Jason Clare, declared in February this year that Australian sport was facing its ‘darkest day’, here we are six months later and there are still no findings,” she said.

“The ASADA investigation has been merely a multi-million dollar PR stunt for Senator Lundy and Mr Clare and it is time that politicians stop feeding their egos and start to represent their local communities.”

Mrs Thurley said a Palmer United Party government vows to have the Labor-created ASADA disbanded and establish a new body in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

“A new body will be enacted in accordance with WADA and will follow stringent procedures to protect the confidentiality of investigations and to keep the reputation of sportspersons intact,” she said.

“The millions of dollars the Labor government spends on ASADA will then be redirected to a ‘Put Kids in Sport’ program to offset youth crime, rather than continue to damage Australia’s sporting reputation.

“Australian sport deserves compensation for the damage caused by ASADA and the Palmer United Party will nationally pay for the indemnity insurances for all youth sports teams and the costs of uniforms will be funded in lower socio-economic areas.

“Not only will this help to combat youth crime and depression, it will also mean that sport in Australia will be available to all Australians not only those who can afford it.”
Palmer United Party candidate for Denison, Debra Thurley