2016/17 Annual Report Covering the period 1 October 2016 to 30 June 2017 Australian Paralympic Committee ANNUAL REPORT 2016/17 Australian Paralympic Committee Ltd 2016 Australian Paralympic Awards 2016 Australian Paralympic PO Box 596 Paralympian of the Year: Team of the Year: Hall of Fame Inductees: Sydney Markets Dylan Alcott (Wheelchair tennis) Australian Sailing Team (Para-sailing) Kevin Coombs NSW 2129 Female Paralympian of the Year: Finalists: Ron Finneran Building A Maddison Elliott (Para-swimming) Australian Steelers (Wheelchair rugby) Tracey Freeman 1 Herb Elliott Avenue David Hall Finalists: Men’s Quad Doubles (Wheelchair Sydney Olympic Park tennis) Daphne Hilton NSW 2127 Ellie Cole (Para-swimming) Adrienne Smith Carol Cooke (Para-cycling) Women’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay T: +61 2 9704 0500 Team (Para-swimming) Katie Kelly (Para-triathlon) F: +61 2 9704 0589 Women’s 4 x 100m Relay Team Lakeisha Patterson (Para-swimming) E: [email protected] (Para-athletics) Male Paralympian of the Year: www.paralympic.org.au Coach of the Year: Dylan Alcott (Wheelchair tennis) Iryna Dvoskina (Para-athletics) ABN 41810 234 213 Finalists: ACN 061 547 957 Finalists: Ryley Batt (Wheelchair rugby) Corey Bacon (Para-triathlon) Curtis McGrath (Para-canoe) Harley Connolly (Para-swimming) Scott Reardon (Para-athletics) CONTENTS Brad Dubberley (Wheelchair rugby) James Turner (Para-athletics) Andrea King (Para-canoe) President’s Report 02 Rookie of the Year: Uncle Kevin Coombs Medal for the Chief Executive Officer’s Report 04 James Turner (Para-athletics) Spirit of the Games: The Australian Paralympic Committee 06 Finalists: Liesl Tesch (Para-sailing) Brayden Davidson (Para-athletics) President’s Award for Excellence Finance 08 Lakeisha Patterson (Para-swimming) in Sportsmanship: Message from the Australian Sports Commission 11 Tiffany Thomas Kane (Para-swimming) Kate McLoughlin (Rio 2016 Chef de Paralympic Performance 13 Sam Von Einem (Para-table tennis) Mission) Para-sport Reports 18 Commercial 29 Communications 34 Knowledge Services 38 Stakeholder Engagement 39 Corporate Operations 40 APC Sponsor Family 42 Front cover: Sean Pollard Inside cover: 2016 Australian Paralympic Awards recipients and Hall of Fame inductees Page 1 Australian Paralympic Committee ANNUAL REPORT 2016/17 PRESIDENT’S REPORT Every year, the Australian has grown exponentially. In May, Commonwealth Palmer for your expertise and support throughout Paralympic Committee Games Australia engaged the APC to assist with this period. (APC) does its best to elements of planning, organising and managing the I would also like to record my thanks to our 16 enable Australians with 2018 Australian Commonwealth Games Team. It is a member organisations, national federation disabilities to participate partnership the APC is proud of, and we look forward partners, and the national institute network. To in sport and compete to further collaboration, especially the sharing of ensure the best possible outcomes for our athletes at the Paralympic expertise, with peak sporting bodies in the lead-up at the Paralympic Games and other major Para- Games. We believe there to Tokyo 2020. sport events, it is crucial we work together. Your are positive physical The incredible achievements of the Australian ongoing commitment to collaboration is genuinely and social benefits to Paralympic Team in Rio continue to resonate with appreciated. participation in sport for fans, and the APC recognises this is in no small people with a disability, So much of what we do at the APC would not part due to Seven West Media’s groundbreaking and while we remain be possible without the generous backing of our committed to producing coverage of the Games, which set a new standard of corporate sponsors and donors. To achieve our world-class athletes, we excellence for the Paralympic movement in Australia, performance goals, especially our AWE targets, are also proud of our broader role as advocates for and further established the APC as a true leader in we recognise the importance of growing non- diversity and inclusion. disability sport. government revenue. Thank you to our corporate Further media rights deals for the 2017 IPC World partners and donors for prioritising diversity The 2016/17 reporting period has been one of and inclusion by embracing Paralympic sport, great success for the APC. As we count down to Athletics and Swimming Championships, along with the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games will form a key particularly the efforts of our outstanding the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, Australian Team. Australia’s profile in the winter sport world has part of the APC’s engagement strategy in 2017/18, been boosted by the extraordinary achievements and we are confident of securing deals that will Finally, to my colleagues on the APC Board of of our athletes. Alpine skier and two-time take Australian Paralympic sport to new levels. It is Directors and our Chief Executive Lynne Anderson; Paralympian Mitchell Gourley won his first ever World more important now than ever to continue growing your pursuit of excellence in governance is only Championship title in January, while snowboarder awareness of Paralympic sport, and we are excited matched by the passion and drive of our staff. Joany Badenhorst capped a memorable season to keep on this upwards trajectory over the next three Thank you all for your belief in our movement. It is on the slopes with a World Cup Crystal Globe as the years and into Tokyo. a true privilege of mine to work with you. season’s most consistent high achiever. Our emerging It would be impossible for the APC to fulfil its role in the With PyeongChang now on the horizon, I wish winter athletes have also gained some valuable representation of Australia at the Paralympic Games athletes and their families, coaches and support international experience, with alpine skiers Patrick were it not for our longstanding relationship with the staff the best of luck as they enter the final stages Jensen, Jonty O’Callaghan and Shaun Pianta all Australian Government. Particularly, I would like to of their preparation. The stage is set, and I speak for making their World Championship debut. extend my thanks to the former Federal Minister for all of the APC when I say we are right behind you. More than 12 months have passed since the 2016 Health and Sport, the Honourable Sussan Ley MP and Australian Paralympic Team, formidably led by Chef officially welcome the Honourable Greg Hunt MP to de Mission Kate McLoughlin and co-captains Daniela the role. I am grateful to Minister Hunt for embracing Di Toro and Kurt Fearnley, achieved our Australia’s the values of our Mob and the Paralympic movement Winning Edge (AWE) target of a top five finish. Kate’s more broadly, and I look forward to continuing to leadership of the Team and her commitment to the work together to promote inclusion in sport. Chef de Mission role was impressive and unrivalled Looking ahead, the APC is laser-focussed on globally, and I was proud to present her with the delivering sustainable Paralympic sport outcomes, President’s Award for Excellence in Sportsmanship and fully committed to long-term financial viability. at the Australian Paralympic Awards in December. To be in a position to achieve this, we have been As a result of our performance in Rio last year, the reliant on the outstanding support of the Australian Glenn Tasker APC’s reputation for successfully delivering cohesive Sports Commission. Thank you to the Chairman of President national teams to large-scale, multi-sport events the ASC, Mr John Wylie AM and Chief Executive Kate Australian Paralympic Committee Lakeisha Patterson (top left), Ellie Cole (top right), Page 2 Maddison Elliott and Ashleigh McConnell Page 3 Australian Paralympic Committee ANNUAL REPORT 2016/17 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT As the APC continues was recognised in May through a groundbreaking The APC is working tirelessly to support strong to develop as a global agreement with Commonwealth Games Australia pathways for Australians with disabilities to leader in disability (CGA). In this partnership, the first of its kind, the APC participate in sport. Our ongoing success, in many sport, we remain firmly will contribute to the planning, organisation and cases against the odds, is reliant on fostering close committed to our management of the 2018 Australian Commonwealth ties with the Australian Government through the organisation’s core Games Team, while CGA will provide team service Australian Sports Commission, and our partnerships objective of creating support to the Australian Paralympic Team in the with our 16 member organisations, national federations, stakeholders, sponsors and supporters. opportunities for lead-up to the Paralympic Games. We are excited Australians with disabilities Thank you all for believing in our movement and to share our expertise with CGA, and proud to set to participate in sport ensuring it continues to thrive. the benchmark for greater collaboration between and compete at the Australia’s peak sporting bodies. Thank you to APC President Glenn Tasker and his Paralympic Games. colleagues on the APC Board. Your leadership, Following the success of With preparations for PyeongChang 2018 and Tokyo passion and expertise have guided us through a Rio 2016, the APC has 2020 now in full swing, our athletes show no sign of challenging period in the organisation’s history, worked hard to consolidate its financial strength and slowing either. During the reporting period, Curtis and into a new era of Paralympic sport in Australia. enhance its position in an increasingly competitive McGrath became the first athlete with a disability I would also like to express my deep gratitude to Australian sports marketplace. Through clear strategic to be crowned Sportsman of the Year at the World the staff at the APC. Without you, our incredible direction and expert governance, the APC looks Paddle Awards; so too Newcombe medallist Dylan turnaround would not have been possible.