Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Ray thinks it is funny, but I tell you, Senator Ray, this is a serious topic. Senator Lundy, if you can just cast your mind back perhaps 1½ years or so, you will recall there was a significant debate regarding whether the AFL and a number of other professional sporting codes would become WADA compliant. After a bit of public debate, the AFL decided that they would become WADA compliant. So as far as I know, Senator Lundy, the AFL, along with every other major sporting organisation in Australia, is WADA compliant.

What has happened is that the AFL—and they are to be congratulated for this—have an additional testing code. So, on top of their WADA compliance, they do tests for certain drugs out of competition. We welcome that; we think that is important. The debate, however, that is occurring is whether the sanctions under that additional testing arrangement are sufficient and whether the reporting requirements are sufficient. We welcome the lead the AFL has taken, but from my point of view—and, I suspect, from your point of view, Senator Lundy, judging from the tone of your question—the sanctions and the reporting arrangements are out of touch with community expectations. They are not seen to be rigorous enough. I think sporting clubs want to know the names of the players, and I have called on the AFL, as you would be aware, to have another look at their code—which, as I said, is in addition to the WADA code—and look more closely at how the sanctions are applied and how the reporting arrangements are applied.

So I hope that the AFL will do that. I think there has been significant public debate on this issue. I think the AFL have got the chance to show some very real leadership in this area. I hope that they will grasp that chance, Senator Lundy, because with a major sporting code like the AFL it is important that they do set an example for the rest of the community. They are WADA compliant. They have put in place an additional regime. I think the fact of the matter is that there is a very good chance for them now to take some very strong action in this area and take a real lead in Australia.