ACTEWAGL Sponsorships for 2010–11

welkin31 said :

Yesterday around 5pm to 5.30 I think – on Win TV I saw a puzzling new advert featuring a young woman with a baby in sugary sweet scenes portraying their loving relationship. When these idiot feelgood ads come on top management and I try to guess who is paying the bill – we both agreed Banks or Medimuddle could be candidates. Then the last scene came up and I was gobsmacked to see the ACTEWAGL logo. So WE – and all Rioters – were helping to pay for this deep message. We recall nothing in the ad about electricity or water.
Has anybody else seen this TV advert ? Can somebody make a copy – get a photo of the last scene – type out a transcript ?

Facsinating !

Jeff Tracy said :

welkin31 you where spot on when you said;
“I was a bit surprised at some on the list and although I hunted – I can find no dollar amounts or even the total spend. My own view is that ACTEW Corp Ltd or ACTEWAGL should not spend a cent on these “sponsorships” – it should be a function of the ACT Govt through a Govt Department – open and transparent.”

Chairman JMac and the former Chief are great mates I believe, so it’s not surprising (in Canberra at least) to see the ACT Government’s community events push is replicated by ACTewAGL. After all helping Canberran’s feel good about Canberra maintains the status quo and keeps the ACT Labour Government in power – who cares about a few extra dollars on their power bill to keep one side in power !

Nowhere else in the world would you find a public utility with such sponsorship list. And only a few years ago it was even more diverse – see below. Go on, tell me ACTEWAGL weren’t helping to feed the chooks back then !
• ACT Conservation Council
• ACT Eden Monaro Cancer Support Group
• ACT International Women’s Day awards
• ACT Junior Australian Football League
• ACT Junior Cricket
• ACT Sporting Hall of Fame
• ACT Training Excellence Awards
• ACT Wheelers
• ACT Work Cover Safety Awards
• ACT/Southern NSW Restaurant and Catering Awards for Excellence
• Adult Learners Week
• AFP/ACT Debating Society
• Artsound
• Australian Blues Music Festival
• Australia Day in the National Capital
• Australian Hotels Association
• Australian Red Cross
• Australian Science Festival
• Bateman’s Bay Bowling Club
• Belconnen Festival
• Black Opal Race Day
• Bowls ACT
• Brumbies Academy
• Brumbies Country Visits Program
• Building Trades Group Drug and Alcohol Program
• Camp Quality
• Canberra and District Rugby League Referees Association
• Canberra Bushfire Appeal
• Canberra Business Council
• Canberra Potters’ Society Exhibition
• Canberra Raiders
• Canberra Regional Wine Show
• Canberra Repertory
• Canberra Show
• Canberra Times Fun Run
• Capital Lakes Rowing Club
• CFMEU Children’s Healthcare Trust
• Chapman Primary School Quiz Night
• Chief Minister’s Women and Girls Fun Run
• Clubs ACT
• Community Liaison and Advisory Safety Project
• Community Switch for Canberra’s FM104.7 and MIX 106.3
• Curtin Primary School Fete
• Floriade
• Focus on Business
• Gold Creek Combined School Fete
• Goulburn City Cup
• Goulburn Eisteddfod
• Goulburn Show
• Goulburn Sporting Hall of Fame
• Gowrie Primary School Twilight Festival
• Great Aussie Breakfast
• Hawaiian Shirt Day
• Heart Foundation
• Hoskinstown Autumn Fair and Street markets
• Jerrabomberra Primary School Trivia Night
• Junior League Soccer ACT
• Junior Squash Championships
• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk to Cure Diabetes
• Kangaroos Football Club
• Koomarri Association
• Legacy
• Lions Club ACT
• Lisa Clark School of Ballet
• Lyons Primary Book Parade
• Make-A-Wish Foundation
• Maribynong Primary School Fete
• Marist College Walk-A-Thon
• Master Plumbers Association
• MBA and HIA Awards
• Meadows Display Village Dunlop
• Milton-Ulladulla Business Awards
• MS Fun Run
• Mt Taylor Scout Group
• NAIDOC Family Day
• National Aria Competition
• National Bandana Day
• National Cherry Festival in Young
• National Gallery of Australia
• National Multicultural Festival
• National Museum of Australia
• National Riesling Challenge
• New Year’s in the city
• Northern Kangaroos Junior Australian Football Club (Nowra)
• Property Council of Australia
• Queanbeyan Children’s Special Needs Group
• Queanbeyan Tigers Club
• Real-Estate Institute of the ACT
• Regional Arts NSW
• RSPCA
• Saints Netball Club (Nowra)
• SIDS and Kids Red Nose Day
• Skyfire
• Smith Family
• Soccer Canberra – junior league
• Solar House Day
• Southern Cross Ten Christmas Party
• Southern Cross Woden Baseball Club
• Spirit of Calvary
• Squash ACT
• St Judes Primary School Fete
• Swim Across Australia
• The Salvation Army
• Tuggeranong Community Festival
• Turner School Fete
• Variety Club
• Women and Girl’s Fun Run
• World AIDS Day
• World Environment Day
• Young Achievement Australia
• Young Hospital Dinner
• Young Junior Rugby League Football Club
• Young Picnic Races

Why did they knock back sponsorship for “The Home for Homeless Homing Pidgeons”?

Yesterday around 5pm to 5.30 I think – on Win TV I saw a puzzling new advert featuring a young woman with a baby in sugary sweet scenes portraying their loving relationship. When these idiot feelgood ads come on top management and I try to guess who is paying the bill – we both agreed Banks or Medimuddle could be candidates. Then the last scene came up and I was gobsmacked to see the ACTEWAGL logo. So WE – and all Rioters – were helping to pay for this deep message. We recall nothing in the ad about electricity or water.
Has anybody else seen this TV advert ? Can somebody make a copy – get a photo of the last scene – type out a transcript ?

Nice or what? Great, if they supported local grass roots community without hurting the genuine ! What does Actewagl, let alone ACT government do for genuine low income home owners? We don’t get a cent from centrelink for housing costs, nor do we cost ACT gov as we are not in Public housing… Without local councils the difficulties of trying to keep a house with low income without burdening society is confronting, do many recognise how unusually hard life can be in ACT? As far as Actewagl , since main shareholders are Chief minister Gallagher and treasurer Barr, they appear to ignore the principles Labor was built on. Maybe Im, but, asimple soul, but any chance of explanation of why they not take better care of ACT homeowner residents that are unlucky ? Its very scary and more than disempowering to have both power and water cut off, so be warned, don’t get sick without private health cover as you dont want to be be stuck waiting fairness from Actewagl nor public health a la ACT,as u have very few options, its a nasty trap ..Compared to otherstates, there real recognition that life isnt always sweet for everyone, real help is available to genuine humans, regardless… But, not here in ACT, as Iv experienced first hand, one has to be one of the especially targetted groups to have any hardship or difficulty recognised, thus..thank you for nothing, Canberra incompetence

welkin31 you where spot on when you said;
“I was a bit surprised at some on the list and although I hunted – I can find no dollar amounts or even the total spend. My own view is that ACTEW Corp Ltd or ACTEWAGL should not spend a cent on these “sponsorships” – it should be a function of the ACT Govt through a Govt Department – open and transparent.”

Chairman JMac and the former Chief are great mates I believe, so it’s not surprising (in Canberra at least) to see the ACT Government’s community events push is replicated by ACTewAGL. After all helping Canberran’s feel good about Canberra maintains the status quo and keeps the ACT Labour Government in power – who cares about a few extra dollars on their power bill to keep one side in power !

Nowhere else in the world would you find a public utility with such sponsorship list. And only a few years ago it was even more diverse – see below. Go on, tell me ACTEWAGL weren’t helping to feed the chooks back then !
• ACT Conservation Council
• ACT Eden Monaro Cancer Support Group
• ACT International Women’s Day awards
• ACT Junior Australian Football League
• ACT Junior Cricket
• ACT Sporting Hall of Fame
• ACT Training Excellence Awards
• ACT Wheelers
• ACT Work Cover Safety Awards
• ACT/Southern NSW Restaurant and Catering Awards for Excellence
• Adult Learners Week
• AFP/ACT Debating Society
• Artsound
• Australian Blues Music Festival
• Australia Day in the National Capital
• Australian Hotels Association
• Australian Red Cross
• Australian Science Festival
• Bateman’s Bay Bowling Club
• Belconnen Festival
• Black Opal Race Day
• Bowls ACT
• Brumbies Academy
• Brumbies Country Visits Program
• Building Trades Group Drug and Alcohol Program
• Camp Quality
• Canberra and District Rugby League Referees Association
• Canberra Bushfire Appeal
• Canberra Business Council
• Canberra Potters’ Society Exhibition
• Canberra Raiders
• Canberra Regional Wine Show
• Canberra Repertory
• Canberra Show
• Canberra Times Fun Run
• Capital Lakes Rowing Club
• CFMEU Children’s Healthcare Trust
• Chapman Primary School Quiz Night
• Chief Minister’s Women and Girls Fun Run
• Clubs ACT
• Community Liaison and Advisory Safety Project
• Community Switch for Canberra’s FM104.7 and MIX 106.3
• Curtin Primary School Fete
• Floriade
• Focus on Business
• Gold Creek Combined School Fete
• Goulburn City Cup
• Goulburn Eisteddfod
• Goulburn Show
• Goulburn Sporting Hall of Fame
• Gowrie Primary School Twilight Festival
• Great Aussie Breakfast
• Hawaiian Shirt Day
• Heart Foundation
• Hoskinstown Autumn Fair and Street markets
• Jerrabomberra Primary School Trivia Night
• Junior League Soccer ACT
• Junior Squash Championships
• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk to Cure Diabetes
• Kangaroos Football Club
• Koomarri Association
• Legacy
• Lions Club ACT
• Lisa Clark School of Ballet
• Lyons Primary Book Parade
• Make-A-Wish Foundation
• Maribynong Primary School Fete
• Marist College Walk-A-Thon
• Master Plumbers Association
• MBA and HIA Awards
• Meadows Display Village Dunlop
• Milton-Ulladulla Business Awards
• MS Fun Run
• Mt Taylor Scout Group
• NAIDOC Family Day
• National Aria Competition
• National Bandana Day
• National Cherry Festival in Young
• National Gallery of Australia
• National Multicultural Festival
• National Museum of Australia
• National Riesling Challenge
• New Year’s in the city
• Northern Kangaroos Junior Australian Football Club (Nowra)
• Property Council of Australia
• Queanbeyan Children’s Special Needs Group
• Queanbeyan Tigers Club
• Real-Estate Institute of the ACT
• Regional Arts NSW
• RSPCA
• Saints Netball Club (Nowra)
• SIDS and Kids Red Nose Day
• Skyfire
• Smith Family
• Soccer Canberra – junior league
• Solar House Day
• Southern Cross Ten Christmas Party
• Southern Cross Woden Baseball Club
• Spirit of Calvary
• Squash ACT
• St Judes Primary School Fete
• Swim Across Australia
• The Salvation Army
• Tuggeranong Community Festival
• Turner School Fete
• Variety Club
• Women and Girl’s Fun Run
• World AIDS Day
• World Environment Day
• Young Achievement Australia
• Young Hospital Dinner
• Young Junior Rugby League Football Club
• Young Picnic Races

mr reason said :

“No need to advertise when a corporation is a monopoly, #6.”

In it’s retail energy supply business, ie the supply of gas and electricity to homes, ActewAGL is in competition with other suppliers. It’s only in their distribution business (ie pipes and poles and wires) that it has a monopoly.

Just like NRMA CTP Insurance is in competition with others?
I don’t know anyone that has electricity supplied by anyone other than ActewAGL, do you?
They also advertise their water and they definitely have a monopoly on that.

“No need to advertise when a corporation is a monopoly, #6.”

In it’s retail energy supply business, ie the supply of gas and electricity to homes, ActewAGL is in competition with other suppliers. It’s only in their distribution business (ie pipes and poles and wires) that it has a monopoly.

It’s sponsorship dollars such as these that keep a lot of those organisations alive. From scanning the list, they all seem to be worthwhile organisations that offer something to the local community. I’m more than happy to see such philanthropy in action.

miz said :

I wish ACTEWAGL and ACTEW would distinguish themselves better in the public mind. I for one can’t tell the difference and never know which one to be outraged at – therefore I am usually outraged at both! I was of the understanding that whichever one is the ‘company’, the ACT Govt was the principal shareholder?

For the record though, I don’t want to see advertising about water/electricity or those glossy magazines that come with my bill, and certainly do not wish to be paying for any of the above through higher bills.

Actew is an Australian Capital Territory Government owned corporation whose primary functions are to provide energy, water and wastewater services to the ACT through its 50% participation in ActewAGL.

I wish ACTEWAGL and ACTEW would distinguish themselves better in the public mind. I for one can’t tell the difference and never know which one to be outraged at – therefore I am usually outraged at both! I was of the understanding that whichever one is the ‘company’, the ACT Govt was the principal shareholder?

For the record though, I don’t want to see advertising about water/electricity or those glossy magazines that come with my bill, and certainly do not wish to be paying for any of the above through higher bills.

Look at it this way….

As a customer of ACTEW, you are sponsoring these organizations.

Personally, I’d rather a slightly cheaper bill than the warm fuzzy feeling

NoImRight said :

dungfungus said :

pink little birdie said :

I’m confused why shouldn’t a private company with monopoly an essential service sponser things?
I don’t deally see anything to get annoyed with.
They cover most aspects of community interests and all areas where they have clients.

You certainly are confused, pink little birdie.
If Actew and their associate entities were a private company and the director/shareholders only had their money invested in that company, there would not be a problem. In fact, they would be hailed as philanthopists of the highest order.
The facts are however that not even a public company would wish to be seen so generous, as this would amount to wasting shareholders funds. Actew is not a private nor public company, it is a company owned by the ACT Government and it has no mandate to disperse ratepayers funds willy-nilly like a community club which a lot of people believe it has now become. The directors will claim they are “putting money back into the community” but this is not a core function of Actew. The last time Actew strayed from its core function it tried to compete with Telstra and Opus costing ACT ratepayers over $50 million. In a monopoly situation such as Actew operates in, you cannot have “clients” that can be massaged for extra business that doesn’t exist with a donation to their favourite cause. We are all “clients” of Actew but not many of us get any direct benefit from the largesse of Actew. With the sponsorships to professional sporting clubs there is usually provision of a corporate box to the donor. I would like to know who a the regular benefactors of this “fringe benefit” and how is it accounted for internally.

If you want to be condescending at least get some facts right. ACTEWAGL is not solely owned by the ACT government. It has nothing to do with “Ratepayers funds”.Lots of public companies provide big sponsorship dollars.Look at a football team from your favourite code sometime. Given the dollars arent listed youve no idea how “generous” they are being in any case.

Let’s look at the Raiders then – which public company giving them big sponsorship dollars this year? And I referred to Actew, not ActewAGL.

I can understand your frustration regarding the sponsorships. That does not mean I agree.

Have you contacted ActewAGL to ask for the figures?

So long as Actew (the govt owned co.) operates a zero sum game, ie that the govt isn’t continually pumping money into it, who really cares what they do with the surplus cash? I think it better that the funds are used in the local region rather than being soaked up by the partner companies, as this would force more money into the pocket of AGL. When you think about it, it is actually a better way of forcing a higher percentage of ActewAGL profit back into the community.

dungfungus said :

pink little birdie said :

I’m confused why shouldn’t a private company with monopoly an essential service sponser things?
I don’t deally see anything to get annoyed with.
They cover most aspects of community interests and all areas where they have clients.

You certainly are confused, pink little birdie.
If Actew and their associate entities were a private company and the director/shareholders only had their money invested in that company, there would not be a problem. In fact, they would be hailed as philanthopists of the highest order.
The facts are however that not even a public company would wish to be seen so generous, as this would amount to wasting shareholders funds. Actew is not a private nor public company, it is a company owned by the ACT Government and it has no mandate to disperse ratepayers funds willy-nilly like a community club which a lot of people believe it has now become. The directors will claim they are “putting money back into the community” but this is not a core function of Actew. The last time Actew strayed from its core function it tried to compete with Telstra and Opus costing ACT ratepayers over $50 million. In a monopoly situation such as Actew operates in, you cannot have “clients” that can be massaged for extra business that doesn’t exist with a donation to their favourite cause. We are all “clients” of Actew but not many of us get any direct benefit from the largesse of Actew. With the sponsorships to professional sporting clubs there is usually provision of a corporate box to the donor. I would like to know who a the regular benefactors of this “fringe benefit” and how is it accounted for internally.

look… I’m still ok with it

I wonder what the ACT Glassworks electricity tariff is. Those kilns use more electricity than a aluminium smelter.

DermottBanana said :

All corporations advertise. What’s the difference with ACTEW-AGL?

No need to advertise when a corporation is a monopoly, #6. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between an Actew/Actew/AGL ad and one for the ACT Labor Party. Hello?

dungfungus said :

pink little birdie said :

I’m confused why shouldn’t a private company with monopoly an essential service sponser things?
I don’t deally see anything to get annoyed with.
They cover most aspects of community interests and all areas where they have clients.

You certainly are confused, pink little birdie.
If Actew and their associate entities were a private company and the director/shareholders only had their money invested in that company, there would not be a problem. In fact, they would be hailed as philanthopists of the highest order.
The facts are however that not even a public company would wish to be seen so generous, as this would amount to wasting shareholders funds. Actew is not a private nor public company, it is a company owned by the ACT Government and it has no mandate to disperse ratepayers funds willy-nilly like a community club which a lot of people believe it has now become. The directors will claim they are “putting money back into the community” but this is not a core function of Actew. The last time Actew strayed from its core function it tried to compete with Telstra and Opus costing ACT ratepayers over $50 million. In a monopoly situation such as Actew operates in, you cannot have “clients” that can be massaged for extra business that doesn’t exist with a donation to their favourite cause. We are all “clients” of Actew but not many of us get any direct benefit from the largesse of Actew. With the sponsorships to professional sporting clubs there is usually provision of a corporate box to the donor. I would like to know who a the regular benefactors of this “fringe benefit” and how is it accounted for internally.

If you want to be condescending at least get some facts right. ACTEWAGL is not solely owned by the ACT government. It has nothing to do with “Ratepayers funds”.Lots of public companies provide big sponsorship dollars.Look at a football team from your favourite code sometime. Given the dollars arent listed youve no idea how “generous” they are being in any case.

All corporations advertise. What’s the difference with ACTEW-AGL?

pink little birdie said :

I’m confused why shouldn’t a private company with monopoly an essential service sponser things?

Private company? At the name suggests, ActewAGL is a partnership of AGL and ACTEW Corp. The latter is owned by the ACT Government.