The article pointed out facts point out no illegal activity. In saying why single out the Nix because they are a current news item.
I would guess every football club, amateur not for profit academy is minority funded with gaming machine money.
If you have sat down and read the allowed activities and not allowed activities of the many trusts you will find a great variety legally findable activities and many checks and balances to keep the funding legal.
ACFC went through a major audit a few years ago. West’s funding trust got audited during the early days of Ole. Warriors were audited.
Many have had to change relationships within organisations. I think even horse racing NZ is a recipient and funder of gaming money.
Yes I’m on the Football Foundation committee. Although Welnix group setup the independent academy with large personal investment.
It runs on mainly personal donations, and a few grants.
I’m sure it is all very carefully structured, but Phoenix coaches being funded by gaming trust money, which is specifically for the amateur game, is quite clearly a story that’s of interest. No doubt plenty of funding is used for purposes other than players that end up at the nix.
But if you go back to the original question posed by the article it was “are the nix using gaming funding to subsidise their academy”, the answer is clearly yes. That may also be allowable under the rules.
The idea that this story is “revenge” for Rob getting shirty with Liam in a press conference is beyond ridiculous.