Federal government exploring governance change at Cricket Australia

The national governing body currently has six member organisations representing the six states. Cricket ACT and Northern Territory Cricket are non-member organisations without a vote.

Cricket Australia is run by a nine-person board made up of a representative from the six states and three independent directors.

The structure has prevented Cricket ACT from gaining involvement in the Sheffield Shield and hampers the association's ability to push for more international content to be played at Manuka Oval.

ACT officials have repeatedly sought changes to CA's makeup to ensure all participants have representation at a national level.

The issue was highlighted at an inquiry into fostering and promoting the national capital, Cricket ACT chairman Greg Boorer outlining the ability for the sport to boost the region.

In discussing the challenges facing his organisation, Boorer identified the governance structure as a crucial hurdle delaying the inclusion of a team in the Sheffield Shield and men's and women's Big Bash Leagues.

While Cricket ACT has long called for change, the chairman said the federal government may have to get involved if the states refuse to provide the territories with a seat at the table.

"It's not unusual or unprecedented for the federal government to step in and encourage governance reform," Boorer told the hearing.

"It's happened in football previously and there's a huge amount of government funding that goes to Australian cricket and it wouldn't be a huge stretch of the imagination and certainly wouldn't cost the federal government any money, just a little bit of time and effort, to appropriately encourage the board of CA and therefore the shareholders of CA to perhaps consider reform in that space."

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The committee members expressed surprise upon learning the ACT and Northern Territory are not members of CA and chair Alicia Payne described the situation as concerning.

Boorer's comments prompted conversations with federal MPs and Sports Minister Anika Wells expressed a desire to meet with the chairman.

The politicians have expressed a desire to facilitate change at CA to ensure all states and territories have equal say.

Changing the CA governance structure requires approval from a majority of states. The states, however, fear a dilution of power and revenue should the territories enter the fold.

While Cricket ACT officials have long sought a seat at the table, there is optimism the momentum currently exists to finally bring about change.

Such change would clear the path for the inclusion of Canberra teams in national domestic competitions and likely result in a long-term strategic partnership between CA and the ACT government.

Such a shift would lead to more international matches at Manuka Oval and potentially the return of Test cricket to Canberra.

This, Boorer stresses, will ultimately be a net positive for ACT players, fans and Australian cricket as a whole.

"Growing the pie is good for everybody," Boorer told The Canberra Times.

"In CA there's been a historical view that we need to protect the past rather than create the future and to let the ACT or Northern Territory in means we need to get a smaller slice of the pie. That's not the way to think about it, it's more about growing the pie and increasing the commercial opportunities and playing opportunities.

"When you think about how every other sport in Australia has been quite proactive in growing the game and expansion. We haven't had a new first class team in 46 years, in that time the population of Australia has doubled.

"If cricket wishes to remain the No.1 sport in Australia, that needs to include a governance structure that represents 100 per cent of the population and needs to explore every commercial and sporting opportunity that exists. If it can't do that it doesn't deserve to be Australia's No.1 sport."

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