27 March 2006

Dunne the sports socialist

Peter Dunne is bemoaning claims by Trevor Mallard that sports that didn't do as well as predicted in the Commonwealth Games would have funds cut from the state for the Beijing Olympics.
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Well tough Peter - it is not the role of the state to fund athletes. They ought to fund themselves or seek it from sponsorship. This is not east germany or some other old fashioned Cold War battle - it is about people choosing to commit to being their best, and the public shouldn't be force to pay for a particular career in athletics.
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The best way to encourage athletes would be a cut in tax - then there would be more of what they earn, and what their supporters earn to help them on their way.

4 comments:

Rick said...

(I feel that there aren't enough lefties commenting on this blog and I want to help you stay on your toes....)

But Scott, isn't the AIS the state-run, state-funded, institution responsible for honeing Australian elite athletes?

How'd Australia do at the Games, did you hear?

Libertyscott said...

LOL ta Rick.

Yes Australia did well, as you would expect at games hosted by it - meaning its athletes train locally and more can be sent at lower cost.

Just because the state funds AIS does not mean the private sector couldn't. If it is so important and so supported, it could raise money voluntarily. China and the USSR used to do just that sort of thing, and it makes athletes dependent on the state. It simply isn't right that for non-athletic kiwis to pay taxes so people who are particularly talented in one field. You may as well say that entrepreneurs should be funded, in which case the less talented will ultimately fund all of the more talented - hardly what people on the left want is it?

CD said...

I wrote a bit about this here: http://crogspot.awardspace.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Rant

"So some people seem to be putting a lot of time into calculating how much we fund sports "per medal" etc, etc, and suggesting we should put more money into sport.

Why?

Why should I, as a taxpayer, be forced to pay for what is essentially someone else's hobby? The only association I had with the Commonwealth Games was through watching some events on TV. Whether we win no medals or all of them, my life is unlikely to be affected.

I've got two bronze medals in Barbershop singing, and I didn't ask anyone to "put money in." Instead we have a fantastic, inspirational director who dedicates so much of her time to coaching us, a supportive and hard working man supporting our fundraising and we also sing for our supper!

Just because some people think sport is of "National Interest" doesn't mean its justified to take someone's money to give to sportsmen and women. Leave me to my hobbies and keep (and fund) yours yourself!"

Libertyscott said...

CD absolutely - it's like radio airplay and TV production. Writing books isn't subsidised or protected - some of the arts gets support, others don't