The Commonwealth Games: Changing Attitudes

The year was 1982 and Brisbane was a sleepy city, known for its country reputation, big verandahs, bogans and honing. Little else caught the attention of those living outside Queensland’s capital city. Visitors would instead escape the scorching heat and spend their money on enriching trips to Sydney where symphonies came alive at the Opera House or opt for the artsy streets of Melbourne, Australia’s cultural capital. But something changed. The world was introduced to a 12 meter, six tonne kangaroo and with one wink Brisbane was on the cultural map.

The 1982 Commonwealth Games were a coming of age for Brisbane. Matilda, arguably the most recognised symbol, sparked change. But, sport has long been part of the Australian DNA before Brisbane was ever considered a cultural hub. Playing a team sport is practically considered a right of passage for any Aussie kid. But, in recent years there has been a noticeable shift in Australian attitudes towards the Commonwealth Games and the importance of the nation’s sporting culture.

Before the games in 82’ Brisbane had never hosted an event of such magnitude or been showcased on an international platform. In fact it was the first time anything like this had been held outside the provisional competitors of Australia’s other major cities. Ticket salesman for the 1982 Commonwealth Games, Barry Andrews, says, “at that particular stage Brisbane needed something to lift it out of the perception of being a country town.” He says the games encouraged change for Queensland.

Fast-forward to April 2018 and Queensland will once again play host to seventy Commonwealth nations and territories. Only this time will be different. Mr Andrews believes the upcoming Gold Coast games cannot possibility have the same flare.

Principal Mark McCrindle at McCrindle, a social and marketing research firm in Sydney, says sport is a strong part of Australian culture. Furthermore, he says sport is where Australia has demonstrated and embraced an international identity. But, Mr McCrindle believes Australia has grown its connections and formed a greater global influence. “We’re part of the G20 and we’re on the world stage outside of sport,” he says.

Australia prides itself on strong participation and intense sporting rivalry. The 2017 Intergenerational Review of Australian Sport shows, “the enjoyment of and participation in sport is integral to the Australian way of life”. According to the report, “ninety-two per cent of Australian adults have an interest in sport while eleven million adults and three million children participate in sports each year”. In addition, eight million Aussies attend live sports events on a yearly basis.

The report also makes mention of ‘Brand Australia’, as sport reinforces a “confident, creative and outward looking nation, with a strong economy and an abundance of talented people”.

This ideology of sport strengthening a nations economy is just one factor the Queensland government considered when biding for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. But, there are doubts surrounding the relevance of the Commonwealth and whether it is time to send the Monarchy packing and wave goodbye to the games forever.

Sports Editor of Huffington Post Australia, Anthony Sharwood, says, “a sports festival celebrating a defunct empire seems a little old hat these days”. He believes Australia is no longer as culturally linked to the Commonwealth, as many international sporting competitions such as world cups and netball championships are Commonwealth sports anyway. Mr Sharwood says you don't need the games to cement cultural heritage.

Mr McCrindle agrees. He says the Commonwealth Games no longer provide the same global platform or global opportunity as they did in 1982. Mr McCrindle believes Australia’s role in the Commonwealth is now not as widely understood as the attention has turned from historic connections with Europe towards Asia. In fact, the SBS recently confirmed several Australian teams have been granted the chance to compete at the 2022 Asian Games in China, the same year as the Commonwealth Games. According to the article, President of the Australian Olympic Committee, John Coates, has welcomed the decision and believes the Asian games will expose athletes to a high standard of competition and could form part of the Olympics preparation.

Australia has been part of every Commonwealth Games since their beginning in Canada in 1930. Sports Professor from the University of Queensland, Ian Jobling, says the Commonwealth Games are a training ground for the Olympics and that is why Australia has stayed part of them for so long. But, with the Asian games coming at full steam ahead the Commonwealth could be about to change. Professor Jobling believes the games still hold a valid place, “because Australia seems to want to be part of the Commonwealth”. He says he can’t see Australia becoming a republic for some time but believes the games will be gone in the next two decades.

CEO and National Director of the Australian Republic Movement, Michael Cooney, says the movement supports Australia remaining in the Commonwealth. He says their main objective is changing the foreign Head of State to an Australian. “In fact when the Prime Minister visited London and met our Head of State the Queen, we called on him to reassure the Queen that in the events of Australia becoming a republic, Australia would remain in the Commonwealth,” says Mr Cooney.

There are plenty of misconceptions about Australia becoming a republic and what that would mean for the Commonwealth Games. But, as David Donovan and Mike Keating explain in an ABC article, “Australia would still be able to participate in the Commonwealth Games and dominate the English and other Commonwealth teams”. Statistically there are more republics than monarchies competing in the games. Out of the fifty-two member states, sixty per cent are republics while five countries have their own monarchies.

While it seems Australia would continue to compete in the Commonwealth Games despite becoming a republic, critics say Aussies have changed their attitudes towards the games as the glorious illusion that Australia is a global sporting power has warn off. But, Minister for the Commonwealth Games, Kate Jones, says, “we’ve actually seen more tickets sold to our Commonwealth Games earlier than either Melbourne or in Scotland last time”. She says there has been resurgence. The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Association (GOLDOC) has confirmed they received 1.2 million ticket requests, which compares favourably with previous games. However, they are yet to release the actual comparison numbers.

CEO of Connecting Southern Gold Coast, a tourism and economic development body, Peter Doggett, says the host city will attract Aussies and international visitors to the games. Mr Doggett was also involved in the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games and says the Gold Coast will be just as successful as Brisbane was over thirty years ago. “Being on the Gold Coast with the elements of beach, surf, hinterland and all the other things that go with a holiday destination that to me is the prime difference,” he says.

The Minister believes the future of the Commonwealth Games lies in regional cities. She says the Gold Coast will continue to benefit from the extra injection of infrastructure, investment and exposure as well as the strengthened sporting culture.

Aussie kids have an opportunity to witness the Commonwealth Games and everything they have to offer come April next year. The culture of the games could be passed onto a new generation with sport cemented in Australian identity. But, as the nation has grown up and is now on the global stage, the Commonwealth Games may not be as important now as they were in 1982.

Sources

Barry Andrews. 1982 Commonwealth Games Ticket Salesman. Phone interview, September 19, 2017.

Donovan, David and Mike Keating. 2010. “The myth of the disappearing Commonwealth.” Accessed October 7, 2017. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-10-12/the_myth_of_the_disappearing_commonwealth/40010

GOLDOC. Email interview. October 3, 2017.

Ian Jobling. Sports Historian. Phone interview. September 29, 2017.

Kate Jones. Minister for the Commonwealth Games. Lecture. September 14, 2017.

Mark McCrindle. Principal at McCrindle. Phone interview. October 3, 2017.

Michael Cooney. CEO and National Director of Australian Republic Movement. Phone interview. September 21, 2017.

Peter Doggett. CEO of Connecting Southern Gold Coast. Phone interview. September 21, 2017.

SBS. 2017. “Australia allowed into Asian games.” Accessed October 8, 2017. http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/09/21/australia-allowed-asian-games

Sharwood, Anthony. 2017. “The Commonwealth Games Are Old, Irrelevant And It's Time To Retire Them.” Accessed October 7, 2017.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/anthony-sharwood/the-commonwealth-games-are-old-irrelevant-and-its-time-to-reti_a_22023127/

The Boston Consulting Group. 2017. “Intergenerational Review of Australian Sport.” Accessed October 7, 2017. https://www.ausport.gov.au/nationalsportplan/home/second_row_content/resources/Intergenerational_Review_of_Australian_Sport_2017.pdf

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