The State Sports Centre Trust Annual Report 2007-2008 State Sports Centre Trust Annual Report for the year ended 30 June, 2008. Submitted to the Minister for Planning, and Minister for Redfern Waterloo in accordance with the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act, 1984. Location: Olympic Boulevard SYDNEY OLYMPIC PARK 2127 Postal Address: PO Box 135 SYDNEY MARKETS 2129 Office Hours: 9.00 am - 5.00 pm Monday - Friday Centre Hours: 7.30 am - 11.30 pm Seven Days (subject to bookings) Telephone: (02) 9763 0111 Facsimile: (02) 9764 3745 Email: [email protected] Web Page: www.sports-centre.com.au Bank: Westpac Banking Corporation Insurers: Treasury Managed Fund Venues Under Management: Contents Letter to the Minister 2 Chairman’s Report 3 Director’s Report 4 Members of the Trust 5 Charter 6 Organisation Chart 7 Key Achievements 2007-2008 8 Facilities, Services and Programs 10 Events Activity 12 Events Summary 13 Events Highlights 14 Training and Participation Activity 16 Facility Usage 16 General Operations 18 Human Resources 19 Corporate Management 20 Finance Report 21 Appendices 57 Index 59 Corporate Support 60 Cover photos from left to right: NSW Swifts player Rebecca Bulley, photo Netball NSW; Australian Gymnastics Spectacular, photo Supersport Images; Taekwondo State Titles; Oceania Wheelchair Rugby Championships. The State Sports Centre Trust Annual Report 2007-2008 1 Letter to the Minister 22 October 2008 The Hon. Kristina Keneally MP Minister for Planning, and Minister for Redfern Waterloo Level 35, Governor Macquarie Tower 1 Farrer Place Sydney NSW 2000 Dear Minister We have great pleasure in presenting the Annual Report of the State Sports Centre Trust for the financial year ending 30 June 2008 for presentation to the Parliament. The report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act, 1984 and the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Regulation 2005. The report details the work, achievements and relevant statutory and financial informa- tion of the State Sports Centre Trust. Yours sincerely Alan Whelpton AO Chairman State Sports Centre Trust Peter Ross Director State Sports Centre Trust Managed and operated by the State Sports Centre Trust Olympic Boulevard Sydney Olympic Park PO Box 135 Sydney Markets NSW 2129 T 02 9763 0111 F 02 9764 3745 E [email protected] www.sports-centre.com.au ABN 69 548 646 296 2 The State Sports Centre Trust Annual Report 2007-2008 Chairman’s Report I am delighted to report once again on In a year of changes, the Trust moved out of the Sport & another successful year for the venues Recreation Minister’s portfolio and joined the Sydney Olympic operated by the State Sports Centre Trust. Park Authority in the Planning portfolio. At the same time there were some changes at the Authority itself, with Chairman David 2007-08 saw some excellent events in Richmond and CEO Brian Newman departing and our own Trust all of the venues. The year started with member Liz Ellis being appointed to the Authority’s Board. The a colourful combination of music and Trust welcomed new Chairman Michael Knight and our old friend sport, when a Jamaican steel band Alan Marsh as the incoming CEO and looks forward to working welcomed 3000 spectators to a netball closely with both of them on the development of the venues in international at the Sports Centre in the coming years. On behalf of the Trust I would like to record which Australia powered home to beat my appreciation to Professor Richmond and Mr Newman and Jamaica by 72-53. The Sports Halls demonstrated their true value acknowledge the significant contribution that both have made to the following week when they hosted over 6000 participants in the evolution of Sydney Olympic Park. the Volleyball Junior Nationals, an event that until recently could only find the court capacity it needed in Melbourne. And in The Trust is again grateful for the efforts of our Director Peter Ross, September the Hockey Centre was the venue for the Women’s his senior management team and all of the permanent and Veterans National Hockey Championships, another highly casual staff. The team has worked hard to balance a busy event successful event. program with the continual improvement of the facilities and procedures that keep the organisation at the forefront of efforts to Dance events continued to grow in popularity at the Sports develop and support sport in this state. Centre, with a total of 16 events during the year attracting nearly forty thousand participants and spectators. While ballroom Finally my sincere thanks and appreciation must go to our longest dancing continues to be the dominant genre, the Sydney Latino serving Trust Member, Pam Tye AM. Pam was appointed to the Dance Festival and the Global Dance Convention showed that the Trust when it commenced in 1984 and has contributed a great venue was also an attractive location for other dance styles. deal over her long tenure. She leaves the Trust to enjoy a Gymnastics was again strong with 8 events, headlined by the well-earned retirement on the north coast, but I know we will Australian Gymnastics Spectacular in October. Other sporting continue to see and hear of her in her remaining honorary roles events of particular note were the World Veterans Fencing as an advocate for Australian sport at all levels. Championships at the Sports Halls and the Oceania Wheelchair Rugby Championships where Australia prevailed 47-41 over a spirited Canadian team. The performances of our netball and basketball teams reflected the dramas in their respective national leagues. In the inaugural season of the ANZ Championships Trans-Tasman Netball Trophy, the newly formed NSW Swifts overcame a wobbly start to the season before finishing strongly to become the new semi- Alan Whelpton AO professional league’s first premiers. The West Sydney Razorbacks Chairman were not as fortunate and once again failed to qualify for the play- offs. At the end of the year the problems besetting the National Basketball League hit home in Sydney when cross-town rivals the Kings ceased to exist. This resulted in the West Sydney Razorbacks being re-launched as the Sydney Spirit with hopes and expectations of a strong 2008-09 season when they will be the only team left in Australia’s biggest city. We are delighted the new franchise has chosen the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre as its home court. The year also saw some excellent concerts with strong attendances highlighting the local popularity of contemporary Lebanese, Greek and Indian performers. A healthy number of product launches, meetings and conferences helped to underpin another sound financial performance at the Sports Centre. The surplus of $358,000 before depreciation and special grants was less than the previous year’s record result but well above the long term average. Pleasingly, the surplus reflected positive financial outcomes in all venues and in the growing area of programs. The State Sports Centre Trust Annual Report 2007-2008 3 Director’s Report During the 2007-2008 financial year embarking on a comprehensive strategic planning process the venues operated by the State designed to identify the key directions the Trust needed to take Sports Centre Trust hosted 94 major in anticipation of the changes in the precinct and the changing events over a total of 168 days, making demands of the wider sporting community. This process them some of Sydney Olympic Park’s involved staff at all levels and included extensive consultation busiest venues. with key stakeholders and the Trust. The outcome was a blueprint for the next four years and recognition that a major Events in all categories were well redevelopment of the site is needed to respond to the attended, with dance in all its forms challenges of the future and to enable the Trust to deliver on overtaking basketball for the first time its charter at minimal cost to government. to become our single largest event category. The popularity of the Sports Centre for school speech The then-Prime Minister John Howard paid a surprise visit to nights and graduations also continued to increase. the Sports Centre in the lead up to the Federal election to announce grants to the World Masters Games and the The Sports Halls are fast becoming one of Sydney’s most Australian Paralympic team. Mr Howard commented favourably important indoor participation venues with attendances on the quality of the facilities and the dedication of the athletes increasing by nearly 25% on the previous year to 122,500. The and emphasised the importance of venues such as those growing popularity of badminton is driving this change and the operated by the Trust in underpinning the culture of sporting venue is now undoubtedly the home of badminton in NSW. participation and success that characterises this country. The Sydney Olympic Park Gymnastics Club enjoyed a record I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my year of enrolments and celebrated a first when club member management team and their staff who have worked together and NSW Gymnastics elite squad member, Prasanth Sellathurai well over the past twelve months to deliver lots of exciting and followed up his silver medal at the Commonwealth Games by entertaining events and to facilitate the sporting participation of winning Australia’s first ever gold medal on the pommel horse numerous individuals. I would also like to acknowledge Trust at the World Cup. Chairman Alan Whelpton and the members of the Trust whose Operationally the year saw a number of developments includ- support and guidance is so important in ensuring that the ing the reappointment of our caterers, the Gema Group for a venues continue to make a valuable contribution to the new five year contract that will see the upgrade of the Sports sporting community of NSW.