Victorian families have been forced to pay soccer membership and insurance fees despite not playing a single game this year.
It comes as Football Victoria was given a grant by the Labor Government to assist with losses caused by COVID-19, however the Sports Minister failed to ensure the grant was given with the appropriate conditions that would mean the money would flow on to community sport.
During PAEC last night it was revealed the Minister for Community Sport, Ros Spence, has failed to speak with Football Victoria about the unfair decision not to pass on funding support to players and their families.
Football Victoria is also demanding payment for those people who simply registered interest to play but were not actually signed up to a team. As such, local community clubs must pay last season’s fees and next season’s fees before they can play.
This is grossly unfair and will turn people off community sport at a time when community is more important than ever.
The government should be encouraging participation in community sport, not standing by idly as parents are forced to pay two lots of fees for the one season.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Sport, David Hodgett:
“There is a real lack of action by the Community Sport Minister who has thrown cash around, with no conditions to ensure it went to the people hurting the most.
“Victorian families’ budgets have been hit hard by lockdowns and to think they are forced to pay expensive fees for a year when their kids didn’t even run onto the field, beggars belief.
“If the Community Sport Minister cared about Victorian families’ cost of living, she would be out there demanding answers from the middle men.”
