Matt Smith (Leichhardt, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026. We'll do the legislative stuff first. This bill modernises the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014 to ensure it remains fit for purpose. It introduces a flexible, rule based framework to support future events, reduces the need for repeated legislative amendments and supports Australia's commitments to major international sporting events. It enables protections for the Rugby Union World Cup in 2027 and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games; protects sponsors and commercial partners from ambush marketing; and maintains appropriate safeguards, including clear statutory criteria for ministerial declarations, parliamentary oversight and exemptions for legitimate use. It's protecting IP.

This is not going to come as a surprise to anybody, but I love sport and I love these—

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

You're good at sport.

Matt Smith (Leichhardt, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

I used to be. Thank you. I thank the member for Riverina. I take the interjection. I was really good—no! I love these major events—not for the tourism and not for the economic development, but because they bring so many people together, with the opportunity. So many memories are created with parents at sporting games, holding the hands of their little one, introducing them to the team that they love and feeling that emotion from the crowd. It's something that is an integral part of the Australian culture.

My favourite sport these days is not going to the NBL or the AFL or watching the Socceroos, as great as they are, on TV. It's local sport. It's going to watch kids playing for the first time, experiencing the rush of doing well and learning through the wins and, sometimes more importantly, the losses about what it means to be a good sport, what it means to be a teammate and what it means to be together in a moment. It is such an integral part of the development of young people. Watching my daughters play netball and AFL and go to gymnastics, and watching them experience and experiment with what they can do physically, as well as the mental aspect of the game, are some of the great joys of a parent or a grandparent, an uncle, an aunt, and it is something that is inspired by these events. My daughters weren't into gymnastics until the Olympics were on, and we were able to put it on in the house and go: 'Look, this is what you can do. You can learn to tumble, learn to flip and do all these really great things.' That's how they got their interest in it.

These events are more than just the big shiny lights. They're more than the elite athletes. It's more than the cold professionalism that you sometimes find in professional sport. Playing in the United States, I was exposed to how ruthless, brutal and cold sport can be. Coming back to Australia after my professional career ended and getting back into grassroots sport, I was reminded of what community sport is like, what community participation is like and what events like the big ones—the Olympics, the rugby union World Cup—do to really lift people up. They get people excited to play again, to get out and kick the footy with their friends, to be the next Kieren Perkins—I'm showing my age here—or Cathy Freeman, to wear that gold medal and to feel what it must feel like to have a crowd behind you like that, and everybody does it. Everyone's in the backyard, and they play it through their heads. They've got their imagination running wild. The amount of kids who say the name of their favourite player as they shoot a basket or as they put the Sherrin off the foot or tuck it under their arm and cross over for the tryline. It's a part of growing up, and it's a part of being something bigger than yourself.

At the last big footy game I went to, I took my daughters and my fiancee to watch Geelong versus Brisbane, and being a part of that big crowd and feeling that wave of emotion—Renee, my fiancee, is a Kiwi. Her ways are not our ways! She very much appreciates the All Blacks. The All Blacks aren't really my thing. She came to her first AFL game and was just taken aback by the community that came with it, walking in to the MCG with 100,000 other people dressed to the nines in their Geelong gear. There weren't as many Lions supporters that day, but it's Melbourne. We can't hold it against them. We were there to witness the mighty Lions beat Geelong and then go on to win the AFL grand final. It'll be a core memory for my daughters, and it was a great time to spend with my fiancee. It was a great bonding experience to have that together. I look at those photos fondly, and my daughters speak about it fondly. That's the power of these sporting events. It's bringing those families together. It's giving them those memories together.

One of the earliest memories I have is my father and grandfather taking me to watch the Ashes with Allan Border, Dean Jones and Big Merv and to sing the songs in Bay 13. That meant a lot to me, it meant a lot to my grandfather, and it meant a lot to my father to have these moments. They're not much, and maybe they didn't mean as much to my father and grandfather at the time, but those little moments that mean the world to a kid meant the world to me. My father doesn't like cricket very much, but he took me because it was important to me, and that's something that sticks with me. I've still got the little fake autographed cricket bat in my parents house. I don't display that. At the time I thought it was real. I was very excited to have both the Walls, Peter Taylor and everybody. It means so much.

This piece of legislation protects these games, allows the organisations that deliver them the surety that they need because, they do need to make their money back. These things cost millions and millions of dollars to put on. Turning the lights on at the MCG is a lot of power. Making sure that they've got all of the food, all of the vendors and everything that they need to actually put something like this on and everything surrounding it, the people who are running it need to understand and know that they're going to get their return on investment and that they're going to be protected. That's what this does. It clears the way. We don't have to go through legislation every time we get a major sporting event. I hope we get many major sporting events, because, despite saying that I wasn't really that into it, it is an economic benefit. It's massive. At the 2032 Olympics, there are going to be some sports held in Cairns. The hero shot from Rio de Janeiro coming off from Christ the Redeemer down over Ipanema was awesome. I'd never wanted to go to Brazil, but, after seeing that, I said: 'You know what? I should probably go to Brazil.' I did not go to Brazil, but I thought about it. We're going to show Cairns in that way—coming down over the range, the World Heritage rainforest and looking out over the beautiful Coral Sea. People can play a bit of football, the most popular sport on the planet. Millions of people will look at that. Millions of people will see what my city has to offer and what my region has to offer and maybe they'll think: 'I'm going to swing up to Cairns, spend a bit of time and watch my football team play there. They seem to have a good time. They beat whoever.' That's what we want. We want that knock-on effect, those economic drivers that will also come along with an event such as this.

It is superb to me that moment with your parents in the stands or an uncle, older brother or older sister cheering on your team, learning what that tribalism means, to feel like you're a part of it. How many people talk about their favourite sporting club as 'we'? They'll say, 'We won on the weekend!' I say it about the Hawthorn Hawks.

I haven't kicked a football in anger for years. The last time I did, it went really, really badly. We identify with these sporting greats. We see ourselves in them because that's who we imagined we were when we were young. That's who we thought we could be. It shows the best part of ourselves. Playing sports and growing up that way, you learn to win, to lose and to understand that it means that sometimes you've just got to do your best and, if you're not there on the day, what that means moving forward. That's because not every day is a good day, and sport can help you learn that. These events can help people get into sport and have those experiences.

Not everyone is going to be the member for Hunter, with five Olympics and multiple Commonwealth Games under his belt, as he reminds me on an almost daily basis! Not everyone can be Johnathan Thurston. Not everyone can be Kobe Bryant. But you can play with your friends, you can have that moment with your children and you can enjoy all that sport has to offer. So many sporting careers, be they of Olympians or backyard warriors, have started because of these major sporting events, because someone's seen something on TV and thought: 'I can be a part of it. I can emulate this. I too can be the hero that I see on TV, even if it is just for a moment.' So I commend this bill to the House.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

It actually is very good to follow on from the member for Leichhardt, who might have been a little bit humble there, because not only was he a very, very good basketballer in the National Basketball League, which is the top competition for clubs in Australia but, indeed, he played a lot of regional basketball at a very high level, including in Albury-Wodonga, near my electorate. It's good that top-line players can get out into the country and show their wares too. I commend him for his basketball career.

I well recall from when I was a basketball writer a very good basketballer by the name of Greg Hubbard. The member opposite would remember, having been a Wollongong Hawks player, Greg Hubbard's exploits not only with the Wollongong team but also as a national player.

Indeed! I always do my research. I've also got a very good memory for sport. It's one of my favourite pastimes. But I was a sportswriter. My very first job, in fact, was as the ground announcer at Eric Weissel Oval, the rugby league oval in Wagga Wagga. As a 16-year-old, I would, with a booming voice, kick the kids off the ground at half-time. Most of the kids I was kicking off the ground and preventing from stealing the corner posts I was actually younger than. But, anyway, I digress. I'll move on.

I'm supposed to be talking about the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026. The member for Leichhardt is right when he says that sport galvanises Australia like nothing else. It truly does. At the moment we're all cheering on the Socceroos. This legislation is important because it will protect the logos and images used in future sporting competitions.

It was interesting to attend the Wagga Tigers Football and Netball Club two Saturdays ago when they had their ladies day. Interestingly, Narrandera Sportsground had its ladies day on Saturday last. A number of women attended, some of them very frocked up. Some dressed up with interesting pink hair for the special occasion and others just came as they normally would to the football. But having followed my youngest son Nicholas, who played for Inner West Magpies for a number of years in the Sydney Premier Division, the difference in the crowds that suburban competitions attract and country leagues attract is chalk and cheese.

It was interesting that Joe Heaney, who organised the Wagga Tigers ladies day, actually said at the end of the day when she was thanking people for coming along, 'This is what country communities are all about,' because there was camaraderie. Both teams, Turvey Park and Wagga Tigers, went back into the clubrooms at the end of the game, mixing with one another, mingling, and there were hundreds of people there. I can well recall going to a game between inner West Magpies and Manly-Warringah in the Sydney AFL, where there were three supporters at the ground—myself and two from Manly. Not rubbishing the competition—the standard of football is probably second to none—but it just doesn't have the support because, these days in the big cities, if people are going to go to the football, they go to the big competitions. They'll go and watch the Sydney Swans or the Greater Western Sydney Giants play. But out in the country, it's not uncommon to have a football oval, be it Australian Rules or Rugby League or indeed rugby or soccer, ringed with cars not once, not twice but three times.

Deputy Speaker Aldred, just yesterday you spoke about the funding that the Sandy Creek ground received, and rightly so. I remember many times as a teenage football reporter going to Sandy Creek for the Tallangatta and District Football League grand finals. Wasn't that a day when the Mountaineers came down to cheer on Kiewa-Sandy Creek against whoever they were playing in the Tallangatta league—great memories, great days.

Sport is important. It's important that we protect sport. It's also important that major sports are protected. These days, given the amount of AI, the amount of technology, the number of nefarious activities that do happen on a commercial basis, it's important that we protect sport, sporting competitions and clubs at an elite level from illegal knock-offs and from misuse on trademarks, logos and the like, because it does happen. The companies doing it know they're doing it.

I don't think there was a lot of consultation. There could be an argument that the bill does reduce legislative transparency and concentrates powers to the executive because members of parliament will only see decisions about proposed changes to legislation and inefficiencies et cetera once they are in law. But look, the legislation change has been initiated from the minister, not stakeholders, and there's no time imperative on this change. But that said, as the member for Leichhardt quite correctly pointed out, these sorts of amendments, this sort of legislation, are there for a purpose. Sometimes it would be nice if the government did a little bit more consultation, and I say that with all due deference. I appreciate we've got a lot of sport going on at the moment too with the FIFA World Cup. This also will protect important major sporting events such as the International Cricket Council's T20 World Cup in the future world cup. I appreciate that it has protected previous world cups in cricket, the Twenty20 series. The 2027 Rugby World Cup is coming along. I know the member for Leichhardt mentioned the 'world game'. The Rugby World Cup is a massive event. I appreciate that he mentioned his fiance and the All Blacks. What a powerful organisation that team is. I say 'organisation' because it's almost an industry rather than a sport. We've also got a lot of Twenty20 cricket being played at an international level in the 2028 season.

We've always got touring teams coming to Australia. Most importantly, perhaps, are the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics. I shouldn't say Brisbane, because it's going to be far wider than just Brisbane. Whilst I appreciate that the Queensland capital is going to enjoy the benefits of hosting most of the big events, I'm particularly pleased that regional Queensland is going to be hosting some of those events, including, as I understand, rowing at Rockhampton. That always runs off the tongue in a very nice way. I appreciate the efforts of the current Leader of the Nationals. I say 'current' because he had a lot to do with it when he wasn't the leader, but he is the leader now. There's nothing going on with the Nationals that anybody needs to chip me about. The member for Capricornia also had a lot to do with getting those rowing events and making sure that regional Queensland had a part to play in what is going to be something that will unite the whole nation. We will all get behind our Olympians and our Paralympians.

It was also great to have Scott Reardon and his wonderful wife in Temora recently. They are both gold medallists in the Paralympics. Their speech to the young crowd was just outstanding.

The Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act came about in 2014. There have been a few amendments along the way, with World Cup events in cricket and the Women's World Cup. The legislation protects indicia and images to ensure that there aren't illegal activities. However, I would just caution you. I know that, as a former newspaper editor, country newspapers often picked up logos and ran them on the scores to differentiate them from the rest of the regional scores. Whether or not there are going to be any regional newspapers left by the time 2032 comes around, I'm not quite sure, given the way they're, unfortunately, going. The printed editions are not faring that well. I know there was a bit of pushback to use the Commonwealth logo when I was the editor of the paper at Wagga Wagga. At the time, there was no legislation protecting such usage in the Commonwealth. It was one of those things where the actual logo of the rings was considered to be the Olympics. There was some interesting legal activity and letters written in relation to that. I think we have to be a little bit sensible about what the law comes down heavily on and what it doesn't.

The Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026 before the House relates to the process by which a major sporting event will be recognised via a delegated instrument, moving power from the parliament—and this is the point I was making before—from primary legislation to the executive, into delegated legislation. I hope this won't take power away from the Minister for Sport. I stand corrected on that. We don't want to see any more usurping of power from ministerial control to the bureaucracy down the hill.

I appreciate there are a number of people sitting behind Labor members. I'm not quite sure whether they're the people from down the hill I've just mentioned. I haven't besmirched you. But I do have a long-held belief that ministers are ministers for a reason. It's because they have delegated power. They have appropriate power. At the end of the day, they are the ones who will ultimately wear the criticism or otherwise of decisions made. It's not the bureaucrats. It's not the Public Service. I've got a high regard for the Public Service. The member for Sturt will have heard me say many times that I do think there is a concern that we are giving up too many powers to people who are not elected officials. That does not sit entirely well with me.

The Albanese government claims that this bill modernises legislation to recognise a future major sporting event via a disallowable legislative instrument, making the process more efficient. I hope that piece is correct and right because I realise that, currently, to recognise a major sporting event, an amendment is required to primary legislation. We have a motion before the House to ensure that logos and trademarks and sporting events are protected. Let's not be overly bureaucratic about this. Whilst I realise that we can't have clothing companies and major media organisations pinching logos and the like to use commercially to make money out of, there has to be some common sense at the appropriate level.

There is sufficient lead time for a major sporting event of international significance—that is, world cups and the like, major test matches et cetera—to be recognised and protected under the current legislation. Whilst I get that there are long lead times for international sporting events a la the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics and while I realise also that stakeholders are not calling for this change, the government has seen fit and the government feels the need that this is important and that it needs to happen now, and, indeed, I don't believe that the coalition will be standing in the way to seeing a blocking of this particular bill.

Claire Clutterham (Sturt, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak in support of the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026. I have to say I was very excited when I walked into the Federation Chamber this afternoon and the first thing I heard was the member for Leichhardt talking about Australian legend Kieren Perkins. He is a hero of mine, and I have actually devoted a portion of my remarks this afternoon to talking about his achievements.

I was a reasonably sporty kid. I loved to train hard and compete. I love to win, and swimming was my sport. I still love to think I got close-ish to making the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games for the 400-metre freestyle, if you think me almost halfway down a 50-metre lap and Australian legend Hayley Lewis down the other, cap and goggles removed, breathing comfortably, is close, but we can only dream. One of my fondest memories and what I think was the trigger for me becoming a true sports lover and Olympic nut was the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and Kieren Perkins's magnificent victory in the men's 1,500-metre freestyle final. I had to watch the replay because I was at school when the race was swum, but I was truly inspired by his world record time—14 minutes, 43.48 seconds. Even better was the way another Australian legend, Glen Housman, raced to finish second and give Australia a one-two finish.

Kieren Perkins became my second sporting idol after Hayley Lewis, who won a silver in the 800-metre freestyle and bronze in the 400-metre freestyle—my event—at the same Olympic Games. I was inspired by these efforts to train harder than ever and to push myself to see how far I could go. I was even more inspired four years later when Kieren Perkins beat almost every single odd to go back to back in the 1,500-metre final at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He used every single ounce of resolve, energy and mental resilience and willpower, and he touched the wall first in 14 minutes, 56 seconds. It was a brilliant call by another Australian legend, Dennis Cometti, and a truly incredible moment. As Dennis said at the end of the call, this is rare gold, the best kind of gold—an athlete basically written off by the media and his competitors was the champion again, a back to back Olympic champion at the tender age of 22, which is incredible. Australians love moments like these. Whether it is Kieren Perkins or Hayley Lewis or Cathy Freeman, the Australian Diamonds, the Matildas or the Socceroos, we love our sporting champions and we love these great moments, but we also love and are in awe of all of our athletes who compete in the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games and at world cups.

My good friend Lisa, who will be in Parliament House tomorrow, told me a story of when she was watching the diving at the Paris Olympics. An Australian diver finished eighth or ninth—not a medal winner—and one of Lisa's beautiful kids remarked that that 'wasn't too good, eighth or ninth,' and Lisa quite rightly corrected that assertion and reinforced that it was, in fact, incredibly good. It was amazing. To make the Olympics and finish eighth or ninth in the world is a truly outstanding achievement.

To all the athletes who are heading to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow: we are proud of you, no matter what happens. And to all the athletes who are currently training in an effort to maybe qualify for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles or the 2032 Games in Brisbane: we are proud of you, and this Albanese Labor government supports you. This is indicated by the $513 million commitment that the government made on 17 June 2026. This $513 million package will be delivered by the Australian Sports Commission over the next two years. It includes funding for 68 sporting programs and a record $42.8 million to assist athletes with daily living and training expenses. For some athletes, this will mean that they will have a real shot at qualifying for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, which will be an incredible major sporting event for Australia—1956 Melbourne, 2000 Sydney, 2032 Brisbane.

The Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026 operates to amend the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014 to modernise the legislative framework for protecting the commercial rights associated with major sporting events in Australia. The act aims to prevent unauthorised commercial use, including ambush marketing of protected indicia and images associated with major sporting events. Under the act, every time a major sporting event is to be held in Australia, a bill needs to be introduced into parliament to add the event to a schedule to the bill and make associated rules.

The amendments made by this bill will see the existing schedule based model replaced, thus removing the need for repeated primary legislation amendments every time there is a major sporting event and allowing for the more timely recognition of those events. This means that major sporting events and associated matters can be prescribed and then repealed when the event is over by a legislative instrument.

The bill will also introduce criteria that must be satisfied before a major sporting event may be prescribed and on the length of the protection period. These criteria ensure that protections are applied only to events of international significance and that the exercise of the power remains targeted and proportionate. Following the enactment of the amendments, rules are intended to be developed to support upcoming events, including the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

What is behind this? We know that, traditionally, event owners rely on sponsorship revenue to stage their events, reducing the reliance on government financial support. In return for their event sponsorship, sponsors can publicise their support by using event indicia and images. But what we see is businesses that do not sponsor the events seeking to capitalise on the event by using event indicia or images, suggesting a sponsorship arrangement with that event where none exists. This is what is known as 'ambush marketing by association'. Such behaviour can cause confusion for the general public as to who the actual event sponsor is, thus reducing the commercial return on the sponsorship dollar.

If sponsors do not have certainty that they are the only business that can directly benefit from association with major sporting events, they may withdraw their sponsorship or decide not to support that event. And a decrease in sponsorship revenue could then increase the need for financial assistance from other stakeholders, including the federal government and state and territory governments. Corporate partnerships that are supported by a framework that keeps the integrity of that partnership intact are crucial for the success of major sporting events. Corporate sponsorship is also critical for sport in general—for events and competitions that might not be internationally significant but are still important to our national social fabric, like the AFLW, the WBBL and—most important of all—the Suncorp Super League Netball Competition. The grand final is this weekend. Go Adelaide Thunderbirds! I wish you well as you seek to win what will be your third flag in five years. We don't have these competitions without government and corporate support, and, if we don't have these competitions, we lose pathways for young athletes. If there are no pathways, people stop playing sport. We know that sport for young people and community sport for people of all ages—including Masters-grade netballers like me—promotes the physical and mental health that we need to keep communities across this country strong.

We also know that we don't have sport for young people, or community sport, without umpires. If there are no umpires—who are often volunteers or paid very small stipends—then there are no games. This is why it was so disappointing to learn that a local netball club in my electorate of Sturt, the Glenunga Netball Club, has recently had to consider banning spectators because of the level of abuse being directed at umpires, who are often teenagers. The abuse is coming from parents, who are adults, and is being directed at umpires, who are kids—spectators who are angry at decisions being made by junior umpires at junior netball games, hurling abuse at the umpires to a point where the game is being ruined and the confidence of umpires is being completely shattered.

Now, I was a teenage netball umpire myself back in the 1990s, and I recall how intimidating it was and how often people would yell from the sidelines that I was an idiot or didn't know what I was doing—never willing, of course, to pick up a whistle themselves. I thought that, decades on, we would be doing better. I thought we would have learned how valuable kids' and community sport is and be doing everything we can to support young people who volunteer to umpire so that others can play a game. If we don't have umpires, we don't have a game, and there is nothing more important than physical activity for young people—nothing more important than providing kids with opportunities to play sport so they stay off screens and get outside. If kids who are umpiring are getting abused, they won't do it, and, for players who are witnessing this abuse, their enjoyment of the game will be diminished and maybe they'll stop playing too. It's not fun. If there's no game, there's no pathway to the highest levels of competition or to elite sport. There is less physical and mental health in the community.

So, if you are one of those people who hurl abuse at junior umpires, please have a look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you would like to see the end of community sport, or if you'd like the competition your child plays in to be wound up because no-one will umpire. Then ask yourself if you're willing to put your own hand up and step in. If the answer to any of those questions is remotely no, then perhaps it's time you retire as a spectator.

We Aussies love our sport—of all levels. We love seeing people have a go. Having a go leads to improvement, to a love of physical fitness, to a determination to succeed, to a love of hard work on the training track, to a love of competition and to a lifelong love of health and fitness. Let's foster this to make sure that the next generation continues to play sport and can maybe one day represent Australia at the highest level possible: the Olympic Games. I commend the bill to the Chamber.

Tom Venning (Grey, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week, many of us had the privilege of meeting some remarkable young Australians here in Parliament House: athletes preparing to represent our nation at the upcoming Commonwealth Games. It was a powerful reminder of what Australian sport means to this country. These young men and women have dedicated years of their lives to chasing excellence. They have spent countless early mornings at training, countless afternoons travelling to competitions and countless weekends making sacrifices, while their friends enjoyed the freedoms of adolescent life. They've quietly pursued a dream that one day they might wear the green and gold on the world stage.

That dream begins long before an athlete steps onto an Olympic track or into a World Cup stadium. It begins on the ovals, country football grounds, regional netball courts and local swimming pools. It begins with children lacing up their boots for the very first time. It begins with families volunteering at local sporting clubs and regional clubs. Clubs run on volunteers, and I'd like to thank all of those volunteers. It begins with communities investing in sporting facilities that give young Australians somewhere to train, somewhere to belong and somewhere to dream.

In my electorate of Grey, I see that every single week in the most regional and remote areas of the country. In the regions, local sporting clubs are far more than places to play sport; they are the beating heart of our towns. Even up in the APY Lands, in the remote parts of central Australia, local Indigenous boys and girls drive hours and hours just to play a game of footy. It is truly an incredible sight. Local sporting clubs are where our young people develop confidence, resilience, teamwork and leadership. They are where lifelong friendships are formed and where communities come together.

Whether it's footy, cricket, baseball, netball, hockey or athletics, regional South Australians know the enormous value that sport brings to our communities. Every time Australia competes on the international stage, another generation of young Australians is inspired. When the Socceroos take to the field, children across Australia pull on the green and gold jerseys and imagine that one day that could be them. When our cricketers compete against England in the Ashes test, thousands of young boys and girls head into their own backyards pretending they are batting for Australia. When our Olympians and Paralympians stand proudly on the podium, they inspire countless young Australians to believe that anything is possible through hard work and determination. That inspiration matters.

It is why protecting the integrity of major sporting events matters. It why protecting our official merchandise and intellectual property matters. It's why the parliament established the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act back in 2014 under a coalition government. This legislation serves a purpose. It protects the commercial rights associated with major sporting events by preventing the unauthorised production of official material—in simple terms, it helps stop counterfeit merchandise. It protects the legitimate commercial arrangements that underpin these major international sporting events. The coalition supports that objective. Indeed, there is broad bipartisan agreement that these protections are necessary and appropriate.

The question before the House today is not whether those protections should exist—they already do. The real question before the parliament is much narrower. It is about how future sporting events are recognised under the act. Since 2014, every major sporting event covered by this legislation has been recognised through amendments to primary legislation. However, this bill proposes something different. Rather than parliament determining which events receive protection through legislation debated and passed in this place, those decisions would instead be made by the relevant minister through delegated legislation. The government says this will modernise the process. The government says it will create efficiencies, but efficiency alone is not sufficient justification for transferring legislative authority away from the parliament.

Good lawmaking has never been solely about convenience. It has always been about accountability, transparency and ensuring that decisions affecting Australian people receive proper parliamentary scrutiny. The philosophy underpinning our legislative system is straightforward. Matters that establish rights, obligations and legal protections should be contained in primary legislation unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise.

Delegated legislation certainly has an important role to play. It allows technical matters to be updated efficiently. It provides flexibility where circumstances generally—

Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Federation Chamber is suspended due to lack of a quorum. We will reconvene as soon as a quorum is achieved.

Sitting suspended from 17:45 to 17:48

(Quorum formed)

Tom Venning (Grey, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

It provides flexibility where circumstances generally require it, but it should never become the default simply because it is administratively easier. In this case, the government has not demonstrated why such a significant change in legislative process is necessary. It seems just to be driven by the minister and not by stakeholder or community demand. It was not responding to an identified problem within the existing legislation, nor was there any pressing time imperative requiring this change. That raises an obvious question. If nobody was asking for this change, if the existing system is functioning effectively and if there's no urgency, why are we changing what appears to be a functioning legislative process?

The reality is that major international sporting events are announced years in advance. There is ample time for parliament to legislate. History demonstrates exactly that. The ICC T20 World Cup in 2020 was recognised through legislation passed in 2019. The ICC Men's T20 World Cup in 2022 received recognition through the same legislative process. The FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 was also recognised through amendments to primary legislation well before the tournament commenced. This is a system that works. Looking ahead, we already know what the major events will be, including the 2027 Rugby World Cup, the 2028 Cricket World Cup and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. They'll have similar protections. There is absolutely no doubt that there is sufficient time for parliament to consider those matters through legislation prior to these events taking place. No compelling case has been made for abandoning that process.

The government argues that, because delegated legislation is disallowable, parliamentary oversight still exists. Technically that is true, but there is an important distinction. To enact primary legislation, parliament debates the proposed law before it takes effect. Under delegated legislation, parliament is presented with a decision after it has already become law. That represents a shift in where legislative authority sits. It concentrates greater power with the relevant minister's office and it takes away from this very parliament. This is not something this parliament should endorse lightly.

While we are discussing sport, it is worth reflecting on this government's record. While the Labor Party frequently speaks about supporting Australian sport, its actions tell a different story. Earlier this year around 2,000 Australian athletes were left facing uncertainty over whether their scholarships and direct support would continue beyond 30 June. That uncertainty was confirmed during Senate estimates. Australian Sports Commission Chief Executive Kieren Perkins advised that approximately 2,000 athletes depended upon this support and had no certainty about future funding. National sporting organisations similarly faced uncertainty. Government officials confirmed that around 60 per cent of cash grants to national sporting organisations relied upon terminating budget measures. That meant that Australia's high-performance sporting system faced a funding cliff.

Imagine asking elite athletes preparing for Brisbane 2032 to make education, employment and training decisions without knowing whether their support would continue. Imagine asking coaches to prepare four-year Olympic campaigns without knowing whether funding existed beyond the next financial year. That is not long-term planning. That is uncertainty. Australia is preparing to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032. Our international competitors plan across multiple Olympic cycles. Yet our own athletes have been left wondering whether funding will continue beyond the coming months, and that is simply not good enough.

Equally concerning has been the government's much publicised Major Sporting Events Legacy Framework. The title sounds impressive. But, unfortunately, the substance is considerably less so. During Senate estimates it became apparent that there is no dedicated funding pool underpinning the framework, there are no published grant guidelines, there are no transparent assessment criteria and there is no competitive grants process. Instead, approximately $130 million has been allocated by the minister on a case-by-case basis. What we have is not a genuine framework. It is a minister with a whole lot of discretion and very little transparency. That should concern every member of this parliament, because transparency matters, consistency matters and accountability matters.

Those same principles are precisely why the coalition is questioning the process proposed by this bill. If the government is prepared to remove transparency from sporting grants, we should not be surprised that it now asks parliament to surrender greater oversight over legislative decisions as well. That is not all. Grassroots sport has also suffered under this government. Evidence presented during Senate estimates revealed that participation programs, including Sporting Schools, Play Well, Local Para Champions and Local Sporting Champions, now face uncertainty beyond the next 12 months.

Kieren Perkins warned that Sporting Schools alone provides opportunities for almost two million Australian children to participate in free after-school sport. These are the very programs that introduce children to sport. These are the programs that identify future Olympians. These are the programs that encourage healthy lifestyles and strengthen communities, yet ongoing funding has not been guaranteed. Instead, the sporting grants budget is projected to fall significantly over coming years. At a time when families are facing increasing cost-of-living pressures, community sport has never been more important. Sport teaches discipline. Sport builds resilience. Sport strengthens communities. It deserves certainty, not uncertainty.

Returning to the legislation before us today, the bill is ultimately not about whether official merchandise deserves protection. The coalition supports those protections. The issue before us is whether parliament should voluntarily surrender a measure of transparency when no compelling justification has been provided. Good legislation should seek the appropriate balance between efficiency and accountability. In this instance, the government has demonstrated the former but failed to justify sacrificing the latter. I note the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills will shortly consider this legislation. And I look forward to its assessment.

I finally return to where I began and say that this debate is ultimately about more than legislative drafting; it is about preserving the integrity of the events that inspire young Australians. When our athletes walk into an Olympic stadium wearing the Australian green and gold, they carry the hopes of an entire nation. When children wear official jerseys, wave scarves or collect memorabilia from a World Cup or Commonwealth Games, they are connecting with something much larger than the merchandise; they are connecting with aspiration. They are connecting with national pride. They are imagining what their own future might behold.

Every major sporting event we successfully host and protect inspires another generation to believe that they too could one day represent Australia. As we look towards the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, we should absolutely continue to protect the integrity of these events. But in doing so we should also continue protecting the role of this very parliament. Administrative convenience should never become an excuse for reducing parliamentary oversight. Transparency remains one of the cornerstones of good government. For those reasons, while supporting the ongoing protections of major sporting events and protecting major sporting event merchandise, the coalition remains concerned that this bill unnecessarily transfers authority away from the parliament without sufficient justification.

Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

The major sporting events here in Australia are woven into the fabric of our Australian identity whether it be the AFL that we all love, tennis, cricket, the wonderful round ball football that we're watching Australia compete in or whether it be motor motorcycle events like the MotoGP, which is currently held in Melbourne but will be held in Adelaide in 2027. It will be a magnificent event with it being the first time on a street circuit, so we're really looking forward to it. All these events inspire our nation and create lifelong memories. When we host these event, they showcase the very best of our Australian teams, our Australian participants, to the world. Whether it's a packed stadium as a young child seeing their sporting heroes for the first time or communities proudly welcoming visitors from across the globe, these events have a legacy that extends far beyond the final whistle. Their significance extends far beyond sport itself.

Major sporting events are about more than just the actual sport itself. They are a very powerful driver of economic growth, tourism, employment and international engagement—soft diplomacy. They attract investment. They strengthen local businesses. They showcase our cities and regions. They encourage participation in sport across every corner of our community.

You only have to look at, for example, in South Australia the Gather Round and how the entire nation converges for one weekend on Adelaide and the excitement from the fans, the atmosphere in Adelaide at the restaurants and cafes. Everywhere, there's excitement. They're wonderful events. I've seen it firsthand in South Australia. I've seen in my own home state and in the city that I represent, Adelaide, the incredible impact that these events can have. I've seen the success, as I said, of the Gather Round, LIV Golf and the Tour Down Under in Adelaide. These are just some events that demonstrate what is possible when world-class sporting events are brought to local communities. As I said, I'm looking forward to next year and the MotoGP, which will be in Adelaide for the first time. For the first time anywhere in the world it will be on a street track.

All these events have generated enormous economic activity. They've filled hotels, supported small businesses, attracted interstate and international visitors and showcased South Australia to audiences around the world. Beyond the economic benefits, they've created an atmosphere of excitement and national and civic pride. They bring communities together and inspire people. Those events in Adelaide that I've seen firsthand have reinforced Adelaide's reputation as a destination capable of delivering major international events. These are the kinds of opportunities that major sporting events create.

The opportunity before Australia over the coming decades is extraordinary. We have the Rugby World Cup in 2027, and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will place our nation firmly on the global stage. They'll attract millions of viewers, thousands of athletes and countless visitors from every corner of the world. These events represent an unparalleled opportunity to strengthen Australia's international reputation, generate economic activity, as I said, create jobs and inspire Australians to participate in their sports.

But hosting events of the scale and magnitude of the Olympics and the Rugby World Cup requires more than world-class venues and passionate supporters. Yes, the world-class venues help and the passionate supporters help, but it requires confidence. It requires confidence from the event owners, the investors and the sponsors and commercial partners, whose contributions are absolutely essential in delivering these events. So a critical part of securing and successfully hosting these international sporting events is ensuring that our event owners and their partners can protect their intellectual property rights. Major events rely heavily on sponsorship and commercial investment. Businesses commit significant resources because they know their brands, trademarks and commercial partnerships will be respected and protected. They need that security and that guarantee. If they're putting millions of dollars into a particular world-class event that's being held in Australia, they also want to know that their brands and products will be protected and that commercial partnerships will be absolutely guaranteed, respected and protected. Without those protections, the value of sponsorship diminishes and, when sponsorship is undermined, the ability to secure and successfully deliver these major sporting events or world events becomes more difficult.

That's why this legislation is so important. The bill before the House, the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026, modernises the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act. It does so to ensure that it remains fit for purpose in a rapidly changing environment. Rather than requiring governments to return to parliament and amend legislation every time Australia secures a major event, this bill establishes a modern, flexible, rules based framework that can be adopted to support future events. It's a practical reform but an important one. It reduces the unnecessary legislative duplication while providing certainty for event organisers, investors, sponsors and the broader sporting community. Most importantly, it ensures that Australia can continue to meet its obligations when hosting significant international events.

The bill will enable protections to be applied to events like the Rugby World Cup 2027, for example, and, of course, the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It also protects sponsors and commercial partners from ambush marketing, where organisations attempt to gain commercial benefit from an event without actually making those investments, whether they be in sponsorship, advertising et cetera. We want to make sure that those people who do sponsor these major events, who give us the opportunity to host these events here in Australia, have absolute security and that their investment—their products and, commercially, their brands—are protected.

Those who contribute to the success of major events deserve confidence that their investment cannot be undermined by those seeking to profit from an association that they have not earned by having supported, sponsored, put money in et cetera. It's very important to protect the sponsors, as that then protects the integrity of the events themselves. At the same time, the legislation strikes an appropriate balance. It includes clear statutory criteria before protections can be declared. It maintains parliamentary oversight. It contains safeguards to ensure legitimate activities and users remain protected. This is a sensible framework that promotes accountability, transparency and confidence, as I said earlier.

As Australia prepares to host some of the biggest events in the world, it's also important that we protect the Australian consumer. Major events generate excitement and enthusiasm, but, unfortunately, they can also attract misleading conduct and scams. We have seen many scams that revolved around sporting events in the past. As an Aussie, you should be able to purchase your ticket to a world event being held here in Australia, your merchandise, your travel packages and your event experiences with confidence, knowing that the products you're receiving are exactly what you've paid for and that you're dealing with legitimate providers who are offering these products.

This reform will also help prevent consumers from being misled by businesses falsely claiming an association with an event. It'll help protect families from spending their hard-earned money on products or experiences that are not the genuine thing. It will ensure that the official partners whose investment makes these events possible receive the protection that they deserve, because, after all, they're the ones that have invested for us to be able to host whatever particular world event it is.

Ultimately, the bill reflects a broader vision of Australia as a confident host nation, a nation that welcomes the world, a nation that embraces opportunity and a nation that understands that major sporting events are about far more than just the competition. They're about community. They're about economic growth. They're about participation. They are also about creating memories that last a lifetime and legacies that endure for generations.

On that point, I'm thinking of the number of Australians who are over in the US, Canada and Mexico and the memories that will remain with them forever. Imagine, if we were hosting the World Cup here, how wonderful and magnificent it would be for kids who see our Socceroos as their heroes. At the same time, we want to ensure that the merchandise that's being sold, the tickets that are being sold and the people associating themselves with a particular event like that are the genuine thing so that the experiences that we all get become the real thing as well.

Another great event that's going to be hosted in 2027, the Rugby World Cup—and, of course, the Brisbane 2032 Olympics—is an even greater opportunity for investment and for kids to see their heroes and to be able to participate. These events will remain with them forever and a day. It's also an opportunity to showcase Australia to the world, to inspire future generations and to strengthen our economy and our communities for years to come.

Major sporting events leave memories that last a lifetime. This legislation ensures that those memories are built on trust, integrity and fairness, protecting consumers, supporting those that invest and helping Australia continue to host the world's greatest sporting moments. The successes of events like, as I said, Gather Round in South Australia and LIV Golf have shown what happens when Australia gets it right. We see in my electorate that, when these events are being held, the pubs are absolutely filled. At local restaurants, cafes and other businesses, there are jobs that are created, and communities come together in a celebration that extends far beyond the sporting arena. We see people inspired and local economies strengthened, and our cities are showcased to the world. The Rugby World Cup and the Olympic and Paralympic Games present an even greater opportunity. As I said, they're going to offer Australia the chance to welcome the world, to demonstrate our hospitality and sporting excellence and to leave a legacy that will be felt long after the medals and awards have been presented and the crowds have gone home.

But the legacy depends on trust. It depends on ensuring that those who invest have those rights that they have agreed to and that those people who are purchasing products know that they are genuine products. Trust from the sponsors and investors for their contributions will be protected with this bill, as will trust from everyday Australians that, when they attend, participate in or support these events, they'll be treated fairly and protected from misleading and deceptive conduct. That is exactly what this legislation delivers. It strengthens the integrity of the events that we host, it protects the consumers, it supports the investment and it ensures that Australia remains one of the world's most attractive destinations for major international sporting events. We just have to get the Mondial World Cup here at some stage in the future, and I'm sure that will happen in the future—maybe not in my time, but it'll be wonderful to host the soccer World Cup, or football World Cup, here. When the world turns its attention to Australia, we want it to see a nation that's confident, capable, innovative and ready to seize every opportunity.

So the bill is about more than protecting logos and trademarks; it's about protecting Australia's reputation, safeguarding the economic benefits and ensuring that future generations inherit a legacy of opportunity, pride and success. A nation that delivers sporting events with integrity, excellence and a vision for the future—that's what this bill is all about

Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026. The one thing that unites Australians—and even more so here in Parliament House—is sport. Whether it be AFL, rugby, basketball, cricket or soccer, Australians certainly know how to unite and to barrack for their team. The current FIFA World Cup has shown this. Whether you were in Fed Square in Melbourne, at the local tavern in a regional community or in the office last Friday at lunchtime, Australians everywhere united behind the Socceroos to get them through to the next round, the round of 32. The celebrations of the players when the full-time whistle was blown were inspiring and proved that we are at our best when we are united. Whilst there was plenty of joy and excitement in those celebrations, I sensed that there was also relief—relief that after all those years of training, using every spare hour to pursue the dream of representing Australia at the World Cup, the dream finally became a reality. No matter where the players are from, their backgrounds or their beliefs, they were proud to be wearing the green and gold on the world stage, and we were, and continue to be, proud of them.

Young Australians right across Australia are dreaming of their own moment of sporting glory. Little do they know that among them is the next Nat Fyfe or Ariarne Titmus or Pat Cummins, or even the next Cathy Freeman or Ash Barty. That dream is born out of the pride they have in watching their current sporting heroes on the national and international stage created by major sporting events.

I turn now to the legislation before us, the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014. This act protects the commercial rights associated with major sporting events in Australia, protecting against fake merchandising. This bill amends the act by changing the process by which a major sporting event will be recognised. It does so by proposing that events are recognised by a delegated instrument, moving power from the parliament and instead giving power to the executive. The government claims this bill modernises legislation to recognise a future major sporting event via a disallowable legislative instrument, making the process more efficient. However, whilst some may claim that it might create efficiencies, it does so by trading off on transparency.

Members of parliament will only see the decisions once they are law. This debate is not whether indicia or images should be protected or not, because they already are, and, of course, we all agree they should be protected. The debate is on the philosophy of legislating. The key theme of legislating is that all laws should be placed in primary legislation, in the power of the legislature, unless it is critical to do otherwise. There has been no argument made by the government as to why it is critical to change the legislative process within this amendment bill.

Under this current act, Australia has hosted numerous major sporting events that have been legislated under this act. These include the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup, the 2022 Men's T20 World Cup and the record-breaking 2023 Women's World Cup. There are also other major events in the future to be recognised by this act, such as the 2027 Rugby World Cup, the 2028 Men's T20 World Cup and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I am sure many Australians are counting down for these events, as am I—events that will unite our great nation once again.

Australians—well, we all know they love their sport, but they love their sporting stars even more. Australians expect their government to do all it can to help our sporting stars to reach their potential. Sadly, the Albanese government has a poor track record when it comes to supporting our sporting stars, often leaving them in the lurch. In Senate estimates, Australian Sports Commission CEO, Kieren Perkins—another superstar—confirmed that circa 2,000 athletes currently receive direct athlete support. However, they have no certainty that their scholarships will continue beyond today. These are athletes who have been asked to make major career and education decisions with no idea if they will continue to be supported by their government. With the next Olympics just two years away and Brisbane on the horizon, this is disgraceful, and we should do better.

In contrast, the US and China both operate on multi-year funding cycles to give their coaches and athletes genuine long-term certainty. Adding further weight to this, the government has dealt a $182 million blow to grassroots sport. Programs such as Sporting Schools, Play Well, Local Para Champions and Local Sporting Champions are all facing uncertainty beyond the next 12 months. The Sporting School program has two million children participating in free after-school sport this year alone. The government wants to strip the ongoing funding for these programs, slashing the sporting grants budget from $330 million in 2025-26 to $151 million in 2029-30, by almost half. These programs help millions, particularly young Australians, stay active, connected and involved in sport. By cutting support for community, school and disability sport programs, families and local clubs across regional Western Australia will be hit particularly hard.

Instead of backing grassroots sport, Labor is more interested in protecting their bottom line and creating more uncertainty for the organisations delivering these programs. The coalition supports the protection of indicia and images for major sporting events. The government has not made a clear case as to why the parliament should lose transparency and concentrate powers into the executive and the minister of the day. I note that the scrutiny of bills committee will convene tomorrow to consider this bill, and I will be monitoring the progress with interest.

This is about more than just legislation; this is about protecting the integrity of events that inspire our young Australians to dream about playing on the MCG or at Wimbledon. When our athletes wear the green and gold, they carry millions of Australians with them literally on their back. The merchandise worn in stadiums, around the world and in schoolyards are symbols of aspiration and of national pride. The fabulous international sporting events that Australia has hosted and will be hosting in the future must be protected to continue to inspire the next generation of sporting stars. While the debate here this evening in this chamber is about process and legislative structure, the impacts will be felt beyond parliament. It will be felt in backyards, on school ovals and by every Australian who dreams of representing Australia.

I'd like to close by taking this opportunity to wish the Socceroos all the very best against Egypt this Saturday. We will be watching very early from Western Australia, and I know that the Socceroos will give it everything. They will give it all and make Australia proud. Come on Socceroos. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

Sam Birrell (Nicholls, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health) | Link to this | Hansard source

Oi! Oi! Oi!

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 18:23