Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And certainly been talking about a lot of pretty serious
news this morning, but I've got some good news now.
Hockey NTA is very pleased that the Northern Territory Government's
committed two hundred thousand dollars to support the Territory Stingers
returned to the Malaysian Hockey League. If you've been listening
to this show for a while, you'll know that this
is something that we've spoken about previously and the concerns
(00:23):
around that uncertainty when it came to the funding. Now
joining us in the studio is the CEO of Hockey
and T Jason Butcher. Good morning to you, Butchhi Katie,
how are you? Yeah, good mate, good news last week.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah, amazing news and timely news as you know. As
you know with us, we're planning anyway. But that was
a significant boost to all the efforts we've put in
place in the last three years. And yeah, we're excited
to go back again.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Yeah. Well, I mean last time you and I spoke,
there was that uncertainty around the funding and you had
said that you would plan ahead regardless. But how important
is it to actually lock this funding in.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
It's massive. We have the Oceana Cup coming up the
first week of September, so we've got a lot on
our plate with that, and then the Indonesian Series where
Indonesia are coming here at the back end of September,
and those things are all part of the story which
actually feed to the Malaysian Hockey League. Obviously listeners will
know we got excluded from Hockey one. Not impressive as
Territorians to be excluded from something which is our birth rider.
(01:22):
Australians should all have the same opportunities and access with
everything that we do. So the Malaysian Hockey League is
our peace. It's the intermediate measure for us to rebuild
ourselves and to basically have visibility and get ready to
push again to get back into Hockey one.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
So talk us through how the funding is going to work.
It's two hundred thousand dollars, but as I understand it,
some of it's also attached to strengthening Darwin's capacity to
host international games. Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Yeah, So the big piece around Oceana Cup, which we're
really grateful for ant mech for funding that opportunity, is
connected to the Northern Gateway initiative, which is around us
leveraging Oceania and Southeast Asia big hockey areas, so changing
who we are I suppose. But the other part about
it is to get support with our facility. We've got
a forty year old facility, lots of challenges with it,
(02:13):
so we've got good funding in the short term to
make these events in the next six months viable and appropriate.
So we've got Malaysian Hockey League games early next year
as well. So all these things. So Oceanna Cup was
about that, But what it also allows us to do
is to bring government officials, Hockey Australia officials, Oceana officials,
Southeast Asia people into the venue while these events are
(02:36):
on and actually see for themselves where it's at. Because
we have a vision where Southeast Asia, because of our climate,
uses the territory as a training base and a place
to play series before they go back and play in
World Cups and so forth. Most of the major events
in hockey are in Southeast Asia now because of funding,
and so we're right here on a beautiful base to
(02:57):
do that. But our facility needs massive upgrades.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
I was going to say, how will you juggle it
as well, because I'm assuming that you know, if you
do have some of those elite sides coming here to
the Northern Territory to do that training. That it means
that then the fields potentially aren't sort of available to
your local clubs and to your juniors and that kind
of thing. Is that, like, would that be the case?
Speaker 2 (03:18):
No, normally those timings work pretty well. Obviously a schedule
it and our community is always our priority. So yeah,
there's no drama with that.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
And would it help to have an extra field or
something I suppose is what I'm asking to or some
different you know, some more question.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, And hockey is turf based now as a sport,
and especially in the territory when you have the weather,
it's really difficult to play on grass, which they still
do with juniors around the country. So based on our
hockey population so playing members, we're probably half a turf short.
So when you talk about growth and participation, one, it's
localized marara, which is helpful because parents know what time
(03:53):
and what venue they're going to play out, which other
sports don't have. So that's helpful, but it also does
mean some people have to travel to play hockey. But
whether it's a second facility or whether it's just you know,
more access to turf. We're probably half a turf short
from our current membership base, which means I get to
train less. Times aren't always perfect, so there is some
(04:13):
small challenges around that.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Yeah, right, and so in terms of I mean, this
funding is more so about the Malaysian Hockey League and
as you've touched on, you know, the capacity to host
those international events. But is that something that you're you know,
you're hoping that as you get that additional exposure and
as you do have these different games come to the
end that maybe you'll see that expansion as well, with
the half an extra turf or you know, a bit
(04:36):
more funding into the facility.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Well, I think the first priority is just a facility overall.
You know, we talked about we did a safety and
compliance assessment, We've done a QS report around that, and
the money significant and our facility going to be at
a point shortly where that conversation needs to be had
at a harder level, I guess, so we're treading water
on that. The funding for the lighting, scoreboards, CBF, there's
(05:00):
other bits and pieces. Obviously, the turf two upgrades is
a massive thing that we really appreciated of. So we're
getting support to make things appropriate in terms of a contemporary,
world class facility. But the reality is long term with
all these things we're building, membership, growing events, are base
for Southeast Asia, maybe even a home base for teams
(05:21):
preparing for the Olympics. So there's all these opportunities and
our facility is not going to be at our level
required to do that.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Yeah. So I mean this funding though, when you talk
about the Stinger, is being able to get that opportunity
and to be able to play at a higher level,
Like it is massive and it's fantastic for Territorians to
be able to get those opportunities. Right.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Look, first, it's historic, right, so we're the first sort
of franchise in Australian sport to play basically defect and
have to play in another countries league. But fundamentally, all
these things that we've been pushing and working and lobbying
and I guess trying to be creative all lead back
to we have a fundamental belief that our kids deserve
the same opportunities as the rest of Australia. Like that's
(06:06):
what this is all about. And there's different pieces around
facility upgrades and getting support from different organizations to give
us more capacity because of our size or all these
things are part of the jigsaw buzzle, but fundamentally, like
and this is my thing, all sports, all activities, This
is our major city where a state territory, and our
(06:27):
kids in our community deserve to have access to and
the same rights to succeed and same support as everyone
else in the country, not just the East Coast, not
just where the votes.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Are, but here in the northern terrotories. A part of
it when you look at our social issues as well.
And I'm a big believer, and you and I have
spoken about this before, but if you've got kids in sport,
they're behaving themselves, they've got purpose, they've got something you know,
to believe in, and they're part of something.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Organic, mentorship exactly, purpose.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Exactly all those things, you know. So when you look
at some of the issues we've got, like I firmly
believe that, you know, if you can get more there
are more kids playing sport in these positive activities, hopefully
you know, it helps right across the board in so
many other ways also health.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
And well being, people being active. Yeah, Like I grew
up as a sport person in my family, so it's
been part of my life forever. But I think it's
a fair argument to say if the sport's healthy in
the territory, then the territory is going to be healthier.
So the investment is they're good investments by the government.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Now. Butch, when do the Stingers start training again to
go back to Malaysia. When's it all happening. It's next year, isn't.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Well, we're already training and even when we had a break,
our players are all playing in the Premier League either
in Darwen. We have probably about a third of our
men's list anyway playing in the Perth Premier League. So
we have a couple in Melbourne, one in Canberra, a
couple in Brisbane. So we have kids at UNI and
also trying to play high level hockey to get selected
identified because of this hockey one thing, so we're quite
(07:56):
a separated group. But because of the timing in January
fair early this year and because we prepared for that
from October last year, they really haven't had a break,
So that'll be a thing we have to manage leading
into our preparation. What we'll do is we'll have the
Indonesian Series, which gives a chance to play more kids,
more locals and give them an opportunity and then we
(08:17):
will probably have a break after selecting our Malaysian Hockey
League teams after that and then we'll start getting ready.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Now, can I just confirm as well, this funding is
it's just for one year, isn't it correct? Where too
from there? Hopefully continued?
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Yeah, Look as a challenge, we have a four year
agreement with the Malaysian Hockey Confederation to play in the league,
so the funding conversation is going to come up again.
What we're working hard on is to match that funding
with corporate support. I think it was one to one
last year. We're working hard on that, which the government is,
that's their directive and that's what they appreciate. So we
think we're doing a great job with that. The reality
(08:55):
is in our small community is we're going to always
need government support to create these parts ways for our people.
So yeah, that'll become another stress point for me in
six months time.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yeah. Oh well, we'll talk again and I'm sure we'll
talk again before then. Hockey and T CEO Jason Butcher,
good to catch up with you this morning. Thanks so
much for your time.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Thanks Katie, thank you
And certainly been talking about a lot of pretty serious
news this morning, but I've got some good news now.
Hockey NTA is very pleased that the Northern Territory Government's
committed two hundred thousand dollars to support the Territory Stingers
returned to the Malaysian Hockey League. If you've been listening
to this show for a while, you'll know that this
is something that we've spoken about previously and the concerns
(00:23):
around that uncertainty when it came to the funding. Now
joining us in the studio is the CEO of Hockey
and T Jason Butcher. Good morning to you, Butchhi Katie,
how are you? Yeah, good mate, good news last week.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah, amazing news and timely news as you know. As
you know with us, we're planning anyway. But that was
a significant boost to all the efforts we've put in
place in the last three years. And yeah, we're excited
to go back again.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Yeah. Well, I mean last time you and I spoke,
there was that uncertainty around the funding and you had
said that you would plan ahead regardless. But how important
is it to actually lock this funding in.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
It's massive. We have the Oceana Cup coming up the
first week of September, so we've got a lot on
our plate with that, and then the Indonesian Series where
Indonesia are coming here at the back end of September,
and those things are all part of the story which
actually feed to the Malaysian Hockey League. Obviously listeners will
know we got excluded from Hockey one. Not impressive as
Territorians to be excluded from something which is our birth rider.
(01:22):
Australians should all have the same opportunities and access with
everything that we do. So the Malaysian Hockey League is
our peace. It's the intermediate measure for us to rebuild
ourselves and to basically have visibility and get ready to
push again to get back into Hockey one.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
So talk us through how the funding is going to work.
It's two hundred thousand dollars, but as I understand it,
some of it's also attached to strengthening Darwin's capacity to
host international games. Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Yeah, So the big piece around Oceana Cup, which we're
really grateful for ant mech for funding that opportunity, is
connected to the Northern Gateway initiative, which is around us
leveraging Oceania and Southeast Asia big hockey areas, so changing
who we are I suppose. But the other part about
it is to get support with our facility. We've got
a forty year old facility, lots of challenges with it,
(02:13):
so we've got good funding in the short term to
make these events in the next six months viable and appropriate.
So we've got Malaysian Hockey League games early next year
as well. So all these things. So Oceanna Cup was
about that, But what it also allows us to do
is to bring government officials, Hockey Australia officials, Oceana officials,
Southeast Asia people into the venue while these events are
(02:36):
on and actually see for themselves where it's at. Because
we have a vision where Southeast Asia, because of our climate,
uses the territory as a training base and a place
to play series before they go back and play in
World Cups and so forth. Most of the major events
in hockey are in Southeast Asia now because of funding,
and so we're right here on a beautiful base to
(02:57):
do that. But our facility needs massive upgrades.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
I was going to say, how will you juggle it
as well, because I'm assuming that you know, if you
do have some of those elite sides coming here to
the Northern Territory to do that training. That it means
that then the fields potentially aren't sort of available to
your local clubs and to your juniors and that kind
of thing. Is that, like, would that be the case?
Speaker 2 (03:18):
No, normally those timings work pretty well. Obviously a schedule
it and our community is always our priority. So yeah,
there's no drama with that.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
And would it help to have an extra field or
something I suppose is what I'm asking to or some
different you know, some more question.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, And hockey is turf based now as a sport,
and especially in the territory when you have the weather,
it's really difficult to play on grass, which they still
do with juniors around the country. So based on our
hockey population so playing members, we're probably half a turf short.
So when you talk about growth and participation, one, it's
localized marara, which is helpful because parents know what time
(03:53):
and what venue they're going to play out, which other
sports don't have. So that's helpful, but it also does
mean some people have to travel to play hockey. But
whether it's a second facility or whether it's just you know,
more access to turf. We're probably half a turf short
from our current membership base, which means I get to
train less. Times aren't always perfect, so there is some
(04:13):
small challenges around that.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Yeah, right, and so in terms of I mean, this
funding is more so about the Malaysian Hockey League and
as you've touched on, you know, the capacity to host
those international events. But is that something that you're you know,
you're hoping that as you get that additional exposure and
as you do have these different games come to the
end that maybe you'll see that expansion as well, with
the half an extra turf or you know, a bit
(04:36):
more funding into the facility.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Well, I think the first priority is just a facility overall.
You know, we talked about we did a safety and
compliance assessment, We've done a QS report around that, and
the money significant and our facility going to be at
a point shortly where that conversation needs to be had
at a harder level, I guess, so we're treading water
on that. The funding for the lighting, scoreboards, CBF, there's
(05:00):
other bits and pieces. Obviously, the turf two upgrades is
a massive thing that we really appreciated of. So we're
getting support to make things appropriate in terms of a contemporary,
world class facility. But the reality is long term with
all these things we're building, membership, growing events, are base
for Southeast Asia, maybe even a home base for teams
(05:21):
preparing for the Olympics. So there's all these opportunities and
our facility is not going to be at our level
required to do that.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Yeah. So I mean this funding though, when you talk
about the Stinger, is being able to get that opportunity
and to be able to play at a higher level,
Like it is massive and it's fantastic for Territorians to
be able to get those opportunities. Right.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Look, first, it's historic, right, so we're the first sort
of franchise in Australian sport to play basically defect and
have to play in another countries league. But fundamentally, all
these things that we've been pushing and working and lobbying
and I guess trying to be creative all lead back
to we have a fundamental belief that our kids deserve
the same opportunities as the rest of Australia. Like that's
(06:06):
what this is all about. And there's different pieces around
facility upgrades and getting support from different organizations to give
us more capacity because of our size or all these
things are part of the jigsaw buzzle, but fundamentally, like
and this is my thing, all sports, all activities, This
is our major city where a state territory, and our
(06:27):
kids in our community deserve to have access to and
the same rights to succeed and same support as everyone
else in the country, not just the East Coast, not
just where the votes.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Are, but here in the northern terrotories. A part of
it when you look at our social issues as well.
And I'm a big believer, and you and I have
spoken about this before, but if you've got kids in sport,
they're behaving themselves, they've got purpose, they've got something you know,
to believe in, and they're part of something.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Organic, mentorship exactly, purpose.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Exactly all those things, you know. So when you look
at some of the issues we've got, like I firmly
believe that, you know, if you can get more there
are more kids playing sport in these positive activities, hopefully
you know, it helps right across the board in so
many other ways also health.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
And well being, people being active. Yeah, Like I grew
up as a sport person in my family, so it's
been part of my life forever. But I think it's
a fair argument to say if the sport's healthy in
the territory, then the territory is going to be healthier.
So the investment is they're good investments by the government.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Now. Butch, when do the Stingers start training again to
go back to Malaysia. When's it all happening. It's next year, isn't.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Well, we're already training and even when we had a break,
our players are all playing in the Premier League either
in Darwen. We have probably about a third of our
men's list anyway playing in the Perth Premier League. So
we have a couple in Melbourne, one in Canberra, a
couple in Brisbane. So we have kids at UNI and
also trying to play high level hockey to get selected
identified because of this hockey one thing, so we're quite
(07:56):
a separated group. But because of the timing in January
fair early this year and because we prepared for that
from October last year, they really haven't had a break,
So that'll be a thing we have to manage leading
into our preparation. What we'll do is we'll have the
Indonesian Series, which gives a chance to play more kids,
more locals and give them an opportunity and then we
(08:17):
will probably have a break after selecting our Malaysian Hockey
League teams after that and then we'll start getting ready.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Now, can I just confirm as well, this funding is
it's just for one year, isn't it correct? Where too
from there? Hopefully continued?
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Yeah, Look as a challenge, we have a four year
agreement with the Malaysian Hockey Confederation to play in the league,
so the funding conversation is going to come up again.
What we're working hard on is to match that funding
with corporate support. I think it was one to one
last year. We're working hard on that, which the government is,
that's their directive and that's what they appreciate. So we
think we're doing a great job with that. The reality
(08:55):
is in our small community is we're going to always
need government support to create these parts ways for our people.
So yeah, that'll become another stress point for me in
six months time.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yeah. Oh well, we'll talk again and I'm sure we'll
talk again before then. Hockey and T CEO Jason Butcher,
good to catch up with you this morning. Thanks so
much for your time.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Thanks Katie, thank you
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