Introduction
5.1
This chapter will examine whether eligibility for the Australian Sports Medal (ASM), or similar recognition, should be extended to teams that participated in the Invictus Games prior to 2018 and other veterans’ teams representing Australia in international events.
Background
5.2
The ASM was established by Letters Patent in December 1998 and was first awarded in 2000 to those athletes who contributed to Australia’s sporting excellence at the Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games.
5.3
The medal recognises the efforts of former competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders and those who maintained sporting facilities and services.
Australian Sports Medal Regulations Amendments
5.4
On 18 October 2018, the Member for Maribyrnong and Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, urged the then Minister for Veteran Affairs, the Hon Darren Chester MP, to expand the ASM to include members of the Invictus Games team that was about to compete in Sydney on the 20 October 2018:
I would like to suggest to the parliament that we do more in this moment than just speak words, as important as they are. Previously, the Australian Sports Medal was awarded to people who contributed to the nation's sporting success. For example, 18,000 people received an Australian Sports Medal for their work on the Sydney Olympics. But the medal has since been discontinued. I offer Labor's support to reviving the Australian Sports Medal. It's within the power of the government of the day to write to the Governor-General and revive it. Given the wonderful spotlight that Invictus puts upon veterans, disability and the nation's sport, I think this would be a modest recognition for the actual team, the leadership team and the administrators.
5.5
The Prime Minister, the Hon Scott Morrison MP replied:
In the spirit of bipartisanship in this place on such an important matter, we would be very happy to take on the recommendation of the Leader of the Opposition.
5.6
On 4 December 2020, amendments were made to the ASM Regulations set out in the Schedule to the Letters Patent to extend the ASM to allow its awarding to commemorate Australian sporting participation in multi-sports events such as the Olympic and Paralympic games. This includes the awarding of the medal to 123 members of the 2018 Invictus Games team when the Games were held in Sydney.
5.7
The 2020 amendments meant that the ASM would be able to be awarded to commemorate Australian sporting participation in international multi-sports events, named in the Regulations:
the Invictus Games, from 2018:
the International Sports Federation for Persons with Intellectual Disability (INAS) Global Games, from 2019;
the Special Olympics World Summer Games, from 2019;
the Special Olympics World Winter Games, from 2021;
the Olympic Games (Summer), from 2020;
the Olympic Games (Winter), from 2022;
the Paralympic Games (Summer) from 2020;
the Paralympic Games (Winter) from 2022; and
the Commonwealth Games, from 2022.
5.8
The medal was not awarded to any of the Australian Invictus athletes and support staff who participated in the 2014, 2016 and 2017 Invictus Games.
5.9
As it stands, the 2020 amendments allow the awarding of the medal only to athletes who have or who will compete in events including and after the 2018 Sydney Invictus Games despite the medal being in existence for over twenty years.
Views from submitters
5.10
Submitters provided a range of views on the scope of eligibility for the medal, including arguments for ASM eligibility for teams that participated in
multi-sport international events, including the Invictus Games, prior to 2018.
5.11
The National Rugby League submitted that all veteran’s teams should be eligible for the medal, not just those at the Invictus Games. This would eliminate inequality between Invictus sports and non-Invictus sports:
Consideration should be given to the medal criteria being extended to include any veteran who achieves a great sporting feat, as well as veterans' teams representing Australia in international events. This would recognise the dedication, effort and resilience of those involved in all sport, not just a select number of sports.
5.12
The decision not to award the medal to previous teams has been divisive. Some veterans have questioned why they were unworthy of recognition, while others who received the medal have expressed discomfort at having received the medal for the same achievements of others who have not. Ms Sonya Newman, a Corporal in the Australian Army who had her right leg amputated above the knee and was a member of the 2017 and 2018 teams, relates the feeling amongst athletes when the decision to award the medal to the 2018 team was made:
When the medal [ASM] was awarded, I openly said I didn’t want it, as without the previous teams, I never would have known about Invictus or had the mentoring from previous athletes that helped me on my journey. What made it even worse is that support staff who opened car doors, and were Senior officer liaisons received the medal – but those who competed and coached in the years prior were ignored? This has sent the message of “you don’t matter” and “your efforts aren’t good enough”.
5.13
The appearance of inequality was also noted by Saltwater Veterans in their observation that ‘perceived or actual inequitably can have a profound impact on veterans’ mental health’. Ms Renee Wilson, in the submission made by Operation Fair Recognition, elaborated further on this feeling:
Fundamentally this announcement put a small group of wounded and injured veterans above others and that is not okay. Particularly when we are losing veterans far too often to suicide. The contributions that this made to feelings of worthlessness among the veteran community were devastating to see.
5.14
Operation Fair Recognition’s submission outlines what they see as a fundamental inequity of how the medals have been awarded citing that some 2018 athletes have now refused to wear or attend medal ceremonies for the ASM as they feel guilty they have been awarded the ASM and not others.
5.15
Operation Fair Recognition acknowledge that the success of gaining the 2018 Invictus Games nomination for Sydney was due to the work undertaken by previous teams. To not only raise awareness of the Invictus Games, but also Veteran and Adaptive Sports. Previous teams also helped develop training opportunities and opened doors of opportunity that definitely assisted in the 2018 team’s success.
5.16
Invictus Australia is supportive of a possible review into the criteria for the medal. However, they urge caution in making any changes that may dilute how meaningful the award can be:
If a review is undertaken, it should consider the overall criteria and the role of the Australian Sports Medal in recognition of accomplishment.
…
The variation of the criteria to include recent representative teams opens up questions about recognition of past teams and future teams. Consistency of application and justification for the application is important to maintain the integrity of the award.
5.17
The Department of Defence in its submission to the inquiry provide no view on the matter stating that it was an issue for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Committee view
5.18
The committee notes the concern raised by veterans regarding the awarding of the ASM to participants of the 2018 Invictus Games, while those who participated prior to 2018 and whose hard work promoting and developing Australia’s role and its ability to successfully gain the Invictus Games nomination in 2018 did not receive a medal for their equivalent involvement.
5.19
The committee notes too that while the amended regulations specify that the definition of a ‘multi-sport event’ is for ‘one of the following international sporting events held, or to be held, in the year mentioned or any future years’ it does also provide for the consideration of any ‘declared multi-sport event’ under clause (b) of the ‘multi-sport event’ definition.
5.20
Further, the list of international multi-sports events in the Regulations includes the Invictus Games as a recognised international multi-sport event and the 2014, 2016 and 2017 Invictus Games meet the necessary criteria under clause (b) of the Regulations to be declared as a multi-sport event.
5.21
The committee is therefore of the view that the Australian Government should recommend to the Governor-General that the 2014, 2016 and 2017 Invictus Games be declared as multi-sport games worthy of the award of the Australian Sports Medal.
5.22
The committee recommends that the Australian Government consider a recommendation to the Governor-General to declare the 2014, 2016, and 2017 Invictus Games as nominated multi-sport events under the Regulations.
Senator Claire Chandler
Chair