Here is a reply I received today via email with a PDF attachment from Lundy in reply correspondence dated 6th Feb. For what its worth :?
sorry about the quality of the copy and paste
SENATOR THE HON KATE LUNDY
MINISTER FOR SPORT
MINISTER FOR MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS
MINISTER ASSISTINC FOR INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION
SENATORF ORT HE A.C.T
2 7 AP?RX fi
c13/186
Dear Mr (deleted)
Thank you for your correspondenceo f L6 February2 013o utlining your concerns
regarding the releaseo f the Australian Crime Commission's( ACC) report on
Organised Crime and Drugs in Sport.
\Alhile I understand that the revelations of the ACC report were disturbing, I was
not prepared to ignore them as some commentators have suggested the
Government should have done. I was also not prepared to release the names of
individuals implicated through the ACC report becauseth ere was still substantial
work that needed to be done and individuals should be presumed innocent until
proven guilty.
\A/hilet he ACC investigationf ocussedo n two sporting codes,t he messagefr om
the ACC was clear. If the Government did not act, then there was a real risk that
more sports and athletes could be in danger.
It is important to acknowledge that the ACC investigation has shown that links
and relationships exist between athletes, professional sporting bodies, prohibited
substancesa nd organisedc rime. Furthermore,a ny possibility of athletesb eing
exposed to dangerous and unproven practices warranted a goverrunent response.
I agree with ACC CEO John Lawler when he said that he would prefer to be out
explaining why he released the ACC report, as opposed to explaining to a coroner
about why he didn't act while knowing that athletes were at risk.
I know this has beend ifficult for sportsf ans.B ut, my messageis that the only
reputations that are damaged by the ACC report are of those athletes and support
personnel who have cheated through doping.
Telephone: (02) 6277 79n . Parliament House, Canberra A.C.T 2600 . Facsimile: (O2) 62237,172
Based on the findings of the ACC investigation, the Government is working with
sporting organisations to strengthen Australia's anti-doping arrangements and to
strengthen the integrity of sport generally. This includes:
a) increasing the resources available to the Australian Sports Anti-Doping
Authority to undertake investigations;
b) improving the investigatory work program and the intelligence management
capacity within the National lntegrity of Sport Unig and
c) looking at stronger arrangements for informing relevant agencies of instances
of inappropriate activity by medical practitioners, pharmacists and other
health workers.
The Government has also recently introduced legislation into the Parliament to
strengthen the powers of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority to better
equip it to detect and address doping in sport.
Australia has a proud reputation of ensuring that sport is clean and athletes are
able to compete in a fair and safe environment. The Australian Government is
committed to upholding these standards. Thank you for raising the matter with
me.
Yours sincerely
Kate Lundy
