Vic: Games under attack over TV rights, jobs

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2004
Vic: Games under attack over TV rights, jobs

By Mark Phillips

MELBOURNE, Dec 20 AAP - The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games is set to unveil two
new sponsors in the next few days as it confronts threats of a television blackout in
Asia and a rift with Victoria's union movement regarding jobs.

Food giant Nestle Peters will be confirmed as a sponsor tomorrow, while sources said
a top-level Games partner was expected to be announced on Wednesday.

The two announcements should douse some of the criticism the Games organisers have
been confronting that they're struggling to meet their budget and attract sponsorship
dollars.

Melbourne 2006 said today it would have no trouble selling broadcasting rights to Asia
despite claims that the asking price was too high.

Broadcasting rights have been negotiated so far with the Nine Network in Australia,
and with companies in Canada and New Zealand.

Games chairman Ron Walker said he was not concerned by suggestions that TV rights as
much as 700 per cent higher than what was charged for the Manchester 2002 Games could
result in Indian and Asian broadcasters boycotting Melbourne 2006.

Mr Walker said there was no rush to finalise negotiations.

"We have put out a price and they're all considering it, so they haven't said no to
us, they haven't said yes to us," Mr Walker told ABC radio.

"Bear in mind that Delhi in India is hosting the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the transmission
is vital to them."

If the Asian TV networks decided to boycott the Games, it would result in the potential
loss of billions of television viewers.

Commonwealth Games Minister Justin Madden said he expected the broadcast rights to
be resolved over the next six to eight months, well in advance of the Games.

Mr Madden also reassured unions that Victorian workers would not miss out on employment
opportunities from lucrative contracts being awarded to overseas tenderers.

The Textile Clothing and Footwear Union (TCFUA) said today the Games organisers were
on the verge of sending a contract for 52,000 items of clothing and 80,000 metres of fabric
to overseas manufacturers.

Victorian workers have also been shut out of contracts to furnish and fit out Games
infrastructure, including the athletes' village in the inner northern suburb of Parkville,
the union movement said.

Michele O'Neil, Victorian secretary of the TCFUA, said the multi-million dollar contract
to make trousers and jackets for the Games workforce was expected to be awarded before
the end of the year.

She said all companies tendering to supply workforce uniforms had been asked to quote
a price for both off-shore and local manufacturing.

"After 18 months of meetings and discussions, M2006 (Melbourne 2006) has not guaranteed
to this day that one stitch on any athletes', workers' or volunteers' uniforms will be
sewn by a Victorian worker or made from Victorian material," Ms O'Neil said.

Mr Madden said the Games would strive to maximise business opportunities for Victorian companies.

He said construction sites for the Games had about 90 per cent local content.

"We've always had in mind that we would maximise Victorian content," Mr Madden said.

"While we don't have a specific target at this stage, we are ever conscious that we
need to maximise Victorian content in order to ensure that we are ... showcasing Melbourne
and Victoria to the world."

AAP mp/hu/de

KEYWORD: GAMES NIGHTLEAD

2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.