Don't betray loyal members
COLLINGWOOD Football Club president, Eddie McGuire has betrayed 85,226 club members by consistently calling for a night AFL grand final when it is against the express wishes of Collingwood members and loyal fans. The AFL's own 2018 fan poll found 67 per cent of fans wanting the grand final to remain in the traditional day time slot.
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Herald Sun polling over the past five years has also indicated similar results, with support for a day grand final consistently in the low 70 per cent range. Mr McGuire has admitted recently that without members paying membership fees each year there would be no Collingwood Football Club.
Instead of being steadfastly loyal to the very members that make Collingwood Football Club financially viable, Mr McGuire consistently calls for a night grand final.
He said recently that a night-time AFL grand final was a no-brainer. He stated: "The AFL are doing it on a Saturday afternoon. We're spending a fortune in Queensland and New South Wales [but] everyone's out on the harbour on a Saturday afternoon. Stick it in prime time. It's called prime time for a reason because people are available to watch it".
The 18 AFL clubs had 1,057,572 financial members in 2019. Loyal members have again paid their memberships fees in season 2020 in the knowledge that they will not see live football this year. The AFL presidents of the other 17 clubs should demand that the AFL remain loyal to the million plus members who have financially saved their clubs from extinction by leaving the grand final in its traditional daytime slot.
In addition, over 6.951 million people attended 198 home and away matches in 2019 and approximately 70 per cent of these people want a day time grand final. We know Eddie likes American culture, the National Football League Super Bowl and it's night-time slot, but we are Australians, not Americans.
The majority of Australians who pay membership fees every year and the fans who pay their money to attend AFL matches, do not want a night grand final. Eddie, don't continue to betray your loyal members, or you will be soon likened to the most famous betrayal in United States history when Benedict Arnold turned traitor against the American Revolution.
Alwyn Johnson, Legana.
Time for government action
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY support John Seaton (The Examiner, May 28) and N.R Burdon (The Examiner, May 31) in their recent letters with regard to TasWater.
I paid an account of $363.52 on April 6, on May 25 received another account for $312.54, indicating I had used 105kl. The meter showed I had used 31kl. It is time for government action into TasWater.
They are not considering the ability of pensioners to meet their very incorrect charges.
P.R Skeggs, Youngtown.
Considering a four-day work week
DAVID Hollingsworth (The Examiner, June 3). Thank you for responding to my discussion point urging the government and the private sector to consider the notion of a four-day working week.
Thankfully we live in a country which has journalistic independence at its core and The Examiner can determine how many of the comments I made actually prints.
It is a cornerstone of our liberal democracy and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I don't think a 300 word story can do this topic justice, but it encourages debate.
Tasmania is losing $170 million a month in lost tourism revenue so discussions have to take place about how we best support tourism.
Many studies have pointed to increased productivity and increased spending within an economy when this proposal has been trialled.
A cost benefit analysis across the state and the country would better inform policy makers so as to evaluate the costs of the proposal divided into the anticipated returns.
Ultimately, creating jobs and productivity is essential across the economy as we navigate our way out of this pandemic.
It must be the priority of all governments and oppositions.
Helen Polley, Tasmanian Labor Senator.
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