The Western Australian government is under fire for its refusal to disclose the full amount of public money spent to host the high-profile United Cup tennis tournament in Perth. Despite repeated requests for financial transparency, the Cook Government has chosen to keep the final bill a secret from the taxpayers who ultimately footed it.
Financial Secrecy Surrounds Major Sporting Event
The international team tennis competition, known as the United Cup, was held at Perth's RAC Arena from December 29th to January 7th. The event featured global stars including Poland's Iga Świątek, Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Norway's Casper Ruud. While the tournament brought excitement and international attention to the city, the financial arrangements behind it have been shrouded in confidentiality.
When questioned by the opposition in a recent budget estimates hearing, the government declined to provide a detailed breakdown of the costs. Officials cited a commercial-in-confidence agreement with Tennis Australia as the reason for withholding the figures. This means the specific sum contributed by the WA state to secure and run the event remains undisclosed.
Shadow Sports Minister Peter Rundle has been vocal in his criticism, labelling the secrecy as unacceptable. He argues that West Australians have a right to know how their taxes are being spent, especially on large-scale events that are marketed as major economic drivers for the state.
Government Defends Investment Amid Transparency Concerns
In defence of the expenditure, the government, through Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman, has emphasised the broader benefits of hosting the tournament. They point to the significant economic injection and global promotion for Perth and Western Australia as a whole. The government's position is that the investment was justified by the substantial return in tourism, hospitality, and media exposure.
However, this defence has done little to quell demands for accountability. The core issue, as highlighted by critics, is not necessarily the decision to invest in the event, but the subsequent lack of transparency about the scale of that investment. The refusal to release the numbers prevents the public from independently assessing whether the claimed benefits truly represented value for money.
This incident is not isolated. It follows a pattern where the Cook Government has been criticised for similar secrecy regarding the costs of other major events and projects. The situation raises ongoing questions about the balance between commercial sensitivity and the public's right to information concerning the use of state funds.
Broader Implications for Event Funding and Public Trust
The controversy has sparked a wider debate about how governments at both state and federal levels fund and report on major sporting and cultural events. With significant sums of public money often involved, there is growing pressure for clearer, more consistent standards of financial disclosure once events conclude.
The lack of a detailed public cost-benefit analysis for the United Cup leaves a gap in understanding the event's true impact on the WA economy. While the government touts success, without the hard numbers, the claims are difficult to verify independently. This secrecy risks eroding public trust in how major event budgets are managed and approved.
As Perth continues to position itself as a host for international competitions, the call for greater transparency is likely to intensify. Taxpayers and opposition MPs are demanding that future agreements include clauses that allow for the disclosure of total costs after an event's completion, ensuring that the financial accountability matches the scale of the public investment.
