Minister for Youth and Sports
Hon.Parveen Kumar Bala
Tuesday 16th November, 2021 at 2:40pm – Albert Park Pavilion
• The Honorable Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Senator Zed Seselja.
• His Excellency, the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, Mr. John Feakes,
• Representatives of the Fiji Rugby and the Fijian Drua
• Ladies and Gentlemen
Firstly, on behalf of the Fijian Government, the Fiji Rugby Union, the Fijian Drua, all the supporters of rugby and all Fijians, in the normal Vuvale way, we welcome you to Fiji.
It’s great to have you here in Fiji and you being one of the first fully vaccinated Australians to capitalize on the new COVID safe travels arrangements which started from the 11th of November 2021. Your presence here today I am certain will send positive vibes to your fellow Australians and like New Zealanders that Fiji is Open and is a COVID Safe country to visit.
I thank you and the Australian Government sincerely for your continued support for Sport in Fiji as part of the Vuvale arrangements between our two countries. I thank you for your support to Fiji Rugby and for the funding of Aus$811,000 which allowed our Fiji Airways Fijian 7s and our Fijiana 7s Team to travel to Brisbane and to participate in the Oceania 7s Tournament in Townsville earlier this year prior to our teams participation at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
While the Fijian Government supports and invests in the 7s programs through grants that supports the preparation and the welfare of players, participating in such a tournament was vital for the Olympic preparation for both our Teams and we are proud of the achievements of our Fiji Airways Fijian 7s Team in defending the gold medal and our Fijiana 7s Team winning the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
I therefore thank you sincerely for the great support especially in the midst of COVID 19 and in the Teams hour of need. This is indeed a true reflection of the close Vuvale relationship between the two countries as established by our two Prime Ministers.
Today, I believe you will be making further announcement on additional funding to support the Fiji Rugby Union through the Fijian Drua participation in the Super Rugby Pacific which kicks off on the 18th of February 2022. I can see the excitement from the Fiji Rugby Union and Fijian Drua Executives’ who are present this afternoon.
I wish to thank Rugby Australia for their support in facilitating the application and the negotiations for the support grant with DFAT. I have been advised that the funding agreement is an agreement between DFAT, Rugby Australia and Fiji Rugby (Fijian Drua). My appreciation therefore to the Board and Management of Rugby Australia for their support and assistance and I sincerely hope that as our Vuvale partnership strengthen, that Fijians will have the opportunity to watch the Wallabies playing at the National Stadium in Fiji in the near future.
Honorable Minister, we look forward to your support and assistance to make this a reality.
Honorable Minister, the Fijian Drua’s inclusion in the Super Rugby Pacific is huge and a game changer for Fiji Rugby as this has been a dream for such a long time as it is the missing pathway link for Fiji Rugby.
In the past, our Fijian Rugby players have had to move to Europe, NZ, Japan, and Australia to be able to ply their trade as professional rugby players and earn respectable earnings to be able to support their families in Fiji but now with the Fijian Drua inclusion in the Super Rugby Pacific, they will be able to stay home and become professional Rugby players and earn decent salary to be able to support their families. This will change lives and change Rugby in Fiji forever.
The Fijian Drua, I believe have contracted 34 players and most have come through our domestic rugby competitions and our rugby pathways and these players are pioneers in being part of the first professional franchise Team in Fiji. They are contracted on decent salaries with FNPF being deducted and insurance provided.
I thank you in advance for the support in this regard and we look forward to further collaboration in sports diplomacy. I have also been informed that such support is not only focused on Rugby but on all other sports.
I also wish to thank New Zealand Rugby for their consideration and commitment to enhance and grow rugby in the Pacific Islands and in working very closely with Fiji Rugby to ensure we were given a super rugby license together with Moana Pasifika. Without their support, assistance and good will, this opportunity would only have remained a dream.
I wish the Fijian Drua all the best in their maiden voyage and I know they will make all Fijian proud. We are looking forward to 2023 when the Fijian Drua will return home and play most of their home matches in Fiji allowing Fijian fans to come out and support them. Our Fijian Airways Fijian 7 and Fijiana 7s Team have proven that nothing is impossible if we work hard and persevere.
GO THE FIJIAN DRUA! VINAKA VAKALEVU!