Organisations reliant on Western Australia’s Healthway for sponsorship have been given no guarantee those deals will be renewed when they expire.
Healthway provides sponsorship for a range of venues like the WACA and sporting organisations including the Perth Wildcats, in exchange for the promotion of health messages.
The State Government wants to scrap Healthway’s current structure after a damning Public Sector Commission report over misuse of tickets and hospitality by some of its executives, board members and staff.
The first step in that reform process would be establishing an interim board.
Premier Colin Barnett said any delay in reforming the organisation might well impact on organisations whose sponsorship contract is about to expire.
“The contracts that are in place will be honoured, regardless of what happens to Healthway, but there won’t be new contracts entered into until an interim board is established,” he said.
The installation of an interim board hinges on the departure of all current board members.
Led by the resignation of chair Rosanna Capolingua on February 24, nine other board members have quit, leaving only the AMA representative Dr Gary Geelhoed yet to submit his resignation.
Until that happens, the Premier said little could be done.
Mr Barnett offered little comfort to those organisations and events uncertain about their funding.
“They have got to wait. They have to wait. Look Healthway has been compromised. I am not going to allow it to continue on that basis,” he said.
The Premier acknowledged some community events may not be able to proceed.
“That could be the consequence. Don’t blame me. Blame Healthway,” he said.