Sport Australia confirm Robert Dalton as acting Chief Executive

February 5, 2020

The Australian Sports Commission Board has appointed Robert Dalton as acting Chief Executive of Sport Australia, replacing Kate Palmer, who left the role last week.

Announcing that Dalton, who commenced in the role on Monday (3rd February) would be in the role “for the coming months”, Sport Australia advised that the search for a permanent postholder has yet to commence, despite Palmer announced last October that she would not extend her contract beyond the end of January this year.

Dalton has been a Senior Partner at global consultants EY for 25 years where he focused on leadership, governance, strategy, audit and entrepreneurship.

He has also been actively involved in sport having been a representative hockey player for 15 years, non-Executive Director of the Richmond Football Club for 15 years and Chair of Hockey Victoria and Richmond’s facility management enterprise Aligned Leisure.

He has stood down from his Hockey Victoria role while acting Chief Executive of Sport Australia.

He has also worked closely with the Commission having been an independent member of the organisations Finance, Audit and Risk Committee for the last eight years.

Dalton takes on the role at a difficult time for the Federal Government’s sport agency in the wake of controversy surrounding allocations from the Community Sport Infrastructure Grants Program that prior to the last Federal election ignored Sport Australia advise and skewed funding decisions in favour of sporting clubs in marginal seats

On his LinkedIn profile, Dalton describes his most recent role as overseeing the “financial management of grant allocation and national sporting organisations across Australia”.

Sport Australia’s annual report confirms the finance and risk committee, of which Dalton was a member, was set up to provide advice to the board on matters relating to “financial management and strategic planning, risk management and all aspects of internal and external audit, compliance matters and national sporting organisation finances”.

Dalton joined the board of the Richmond Football Club in 2004, has been the Club’s Treasurer since 2009 and is an inaugural Director of Aligned Leisure.

Image: Robert Dalton, courtesy of EY.

4th February 2020 - Kate Palmer departs Chief Executive role at Sport Australia

4th February 2020 - Former Sports Minister Bridget McKenzie bypassed Sport Australia board to authorise $2.5 million grant to Netball Australia

2nd February 2020 - Sports rorts scandal sees National deputy leader Bridget McKenzie resign from Government

29th January 2020 - Former Sports Minister Bridget McKenzie warned that sports grant program was compromised

25th January 2020 - Former Sports Minister Bridget McKenzie approved more than $1 million in grants for shooting clubs

23rd January 2020 - ‘Sports rorts’ review to be assessed by Prime Minister’s department

23rd January 2020 - ‘Sports rorts’ scandal: Revelation that upmarket golf, rowing and tennis clubs received major grants

24th January 2020 - Executive who worked on Infrastructure Grant Program no longer at Sport Australia

16th January 2020 - Audit Office sports grants report cites ‘conflict of interest’ at Sport Australia

23rd December 2019 - Belgravia Leisure supports Sport Australia’s ‘Find Your 30’ campaign

11th December 2019 - Kate Palmer apologises for ‘unauthorised access’ following Sport Australia email hack

10th December 2019 - Fitness Australia names Sport Australia executive and Glen Eira Leisure manager as appointed Directors

30th November 2019 - AIS and Sport Australia look to increase leadership depth and diversity in sport

12th November 2019 - Sport Australia announces strengthening of National High Performance Sports Strategy

8th November 2019 - Sport Australia advice ignored by former Federal Sports Ministers in award of community sport infrastructure funds

29th October 2019 - Sport Australia and Parks and Leisure Australia agree partnership

28th October 2019 - Kate Palmer to step down from Sport Australia Chief Executive role

15th October 2019 - Sport Australia releases Position Statement on Physical Literacy

5th August 2019 - Sport Australia releases Corporate Plan to guide increases in participation in sport and physical activity

10th June 2019 - Sport Australia Chief Executive recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours

27th May 2019 - Sport Australia and AIS welcome new Minister for Sport

13th May 2019 - Sport Australia misses opportunity at remarkable SportAccord Gold Coast

13th April 2019 - Sport Australia Chief Executive backs Fitness Australia’s new physically activity goals

4th April 2019 - Sport Australia’s John Wylie welcomes Federal budget funding boost

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