Football Tasmania has congratulated the Tasmanian Government for its continuing support of the sports community following the release of the first tranche of funding to support sports organisations.
Football Tasmania President, Bob Gordon, said that community sport will play an important role in the COVID-19 recovery.
“No sport in Tasmania will emerge unscathed by COVID-19, but the support the Tasmanian Government has offered is, in many cases, going to mean the difference between codes surviving and not surviving the crisis,” Mr Gordon said.
“The Tasmanian Government was the first in Australia to offer a comprehensive support package to sporting organisations and we are grateful for that strong leadership.
“The role that sports plays in our community can’t be underestimated and sport will be fundamental to the recovery effort once the Government starts relaxing the restrictions that are currently in place. As we rebuild, we will need sport more than ever and it’s fantastic to see that the Government recognises that.”
Football Tasmania CEO, Matt Bulkeley, said that Football Tasmania had received a grant of $150,000 from the first tranche of funding under the Government’s support package.
Minister for Sport and Recreation, Jane Howlett, said COVID-19 has severely impacted revenues across sporting codes through the loss of competitions and the Gutwein Government was the first and only jurisdiction in Australia to provide a rescue package for grassroots sports.
“I am pleased that organisations like Football Tasmania have been successful in their application for tranche 1 funding of the grants program which will help keep Tasmanians in jobs and ready to snap back with sports competitions when it is safe to do so.
“This isn’t a windfall for Football Tasmania and we certainly won’t be in as strong a financial position as we were before the COVID-19 outbreak even with this additional funding. However what this funding will do is ensure that we can keep employing our hardworking staff and help people play football as soon as it’s safe to do so. Football Tasmania is also committed to continuing to assist our clubs and associations as we work together on a resumption of football.’
“On behalf of the football community and the sports community in general, I’d like to thank the Minister for Sport, Jane Howlett, and Premier Gutwein for their ongoing support.”