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Outdoors Vic - planning to be the State Peak Body

dalai

27-Aug-2020
9:56:03 PM

Just got wind that Outdoors Victoria are planning on becoming the peak body for climbing in the State! I'd never heard of them before this and from checking their website they have had next to nothing to do with climbing in Victoria unlike the VCC.

As a climber of 30+ years, I am surprised to hear of this and would like to know others views. Seems to be diluting climbers voices even further with another organisation trying to get a seat at the table; which looking at the recent round table attendee's list is already filled with a number of groups which will have next to no membership.

Miguel75

28-Aug-2020
5:04:54 AM

They seem to be working with Sports Climbing Australia to complete stakeholder consultation.... I’ve not been paying attention for quite a while now but am aware of the infighting between VCC and the other group (can’t remember their name). Is OV (and SCA) just another iteration of a previous group looking to do good?

Don’t the VCC (and the other group) have plenty of members, and history behind them?

gfdonc

29-Aug-2020
1:06:21 PM

You have points, but there are other factors.
The VCC doesn't represent professional sport (comps) for example. And the Uni clubs operate separately (but are also active).
There were moves instigated last year to form a joint representative body (Federation) including all of the above.
However OV has a couple of very significant advantages: they have State Government recognition already, and more importantly State Government funding which does give them more potential to be active in the space. Like, they have full-time staff and access to funding channels.
Yes I am a big supporter of the VCC but it can't cover everything.

dalai

29-Aug-2020
11:53:27 PM

SCV already exists for competitions.

Outdoor Vic has a huge funding shortfall in their draft proposal document, approximately $121,000 in the first year and hope to fill with government grants. How vocal will a group be to more negative government decisions when funded by the same?

All it does is create a toothless sock puppet for the government! And once there is a government recognised group will they listen to any other groups that are independent of government?

Hope you are correct, because I expect this will get steamrolled through today's Zoom meeting!

harold

1-Sep-2020
10:16:14 AM

Wow, they are dependent on government funding, and they expect you to believe they will represent climbers... against the very people giving them money. It's the oldest trick in the book. How stupid do you have to be! They control and fund all sides of the equation and have their own agenda, and you're not in it.

The only way to defeat these guys is at the polling booth, while we still have a democracy.

martyn

19-Sep-2020
11:36:21 AM

This is very worrying. Looking at the OV website suggests this is very much an organization focused on education and supporting school children to get outdoors- very laudable but hardly a fair representation of the users of the outdoors. Being reliant on state funding will prevent fair representation. Peak bodies receiving state funding is commonplace and seems designed to limit critical feedback. I have come across a number of instances in my area of work where this has resulted in a lack of appropriate feedback to government.
The only solution I can think of is for members of VCC and Chockstone activists to try and get involved with OV somehow.

dan_b

19-Sep-2020
12:12:03 PM

On 19-Sep-2020 martyn wrote:
>This is very worrying.

I agree Martyn, I had a look at their website a few weeks ago, and whilst I’m sure they are well intentioned, and may represent their core constituents well, I don’t feel they represent me, or the people I climb with, and as such I don’t support this proposal.

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