The ACT opposition have come out swinging at the government's "heavy-handed tactics" to regulate combat sports amid concerns amateur sports will suffer in Canberra.
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The ACT government's proposed Controlled Sports Bill 2018 will be debated in the ACT Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, with the bill designed to "support health and safety and integrity objectives across combat sports".
ACT Sport and Recreation Minister Yvette Berry has introduced the bill to replace the Boxing Control Act of 1993 in a bid to regulate the growing landscape of combat sports.
Berry says the bill implements recommendations from the coronial inquiry into the death of boxer David Browne in NSW in 2015.
Sports such as mixed martial arts and Muay Thai fell under the old Boxing Control Act but Berry hopes improved regulations changes will address safety and integrity concerns.
However Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation James Milligan fears sports like judo, kung fu and taekwondo - not previously included - will suffer under the burden of extra regulations.
"The greatest fear is these events will no longer be held and be held in NSW, not here in the ACT. We won’t be able to grow our young athletes here in the territory because they will be competing interstate," Milligan said.
"We believe this is a bit of a heavy-handed tactic from this government in the sense that there will be too much regulation and it may have a big effect on local sporting groups, training centres, and small businesses.
"Our amendment really is aimed at softening the heavy-handed tactics this government is using here. Our aim is to support the small local sporting groups and organisers to continue to do what they have been doing in the past without incidents.
"I just don’t see there is grounds for the heavy, overhanded tactics by the government. We will be working with those groups to ensure they can operate effectively without too much burden."
Berry was unavailable for comment but hopes the bill "will reflect the diverse forms of combat sports now popular in the community".
The government shut down an entire Brace MMA show last May after "a number of medical clearances and other technical requirements under the Boxing Control Act were not met".
The government told The Canberra Times the decision to cancel the event was based on "the need to prioritise the safety of all competitors" in a damning accusation levelled at the promotion which has since folded.
Milligan says the current act is somewhat outdated but the new proposed regulations could have dire consequences for grassroots sports.
"I will be putting forward a few amendments to this bill. One amendment is calling on the government to exclude training centres and other groups that hold events just for grading and training purposes," Milligan said.
"I’ll be putting through amendments where a statement of reason will be provided to any organisation or producer if their application is rejected.
"The government must give them a statement of reason for that objection, and then allow that applicant to provide any further details they may need to have that application accepted.
"Originally that clause was not in the bill at all, so in other words, the government could make a decision and not give them any reason for it."
