Broughton ‘so grateful’ for award
GOOD sport Paul Broughton knows his efforts to champion the rewards sport delivers both participants, spectators and communities are appreciated.
A former rugby league football player, coach and club chief executive known as “the Godfather of Gold Coast rugby league”, Mr Broughton, 86, was the founding chairman of the Gold Coast Titans.
The Titans’ annual award for best and fairest player, the Paul Broughton Medal, is named in his honour – which makes receiving the Medal (OAM) in the General Division in today’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List icing on the cake. “I am enriched by the belief that age may be mandatory but living a rewarding life is a wonderful option,” he said.
How honoured are you to receive this award? I am deeply grateful for the honour which reflects the contribution of so many who have made my life so rewarding.
People out in the real world would be more than willing for the opportunity to influence change for the good but are not in a position to achieve the goals that are worthwhile. My long life in the game rugby league opened many doors.
I would hope if the game could speak it would say that I had respected its values and protected its heritage.
How has serving the sport you love and the people you live with enriched your life? What are the benefits of service? What have you learned about life and community? In 1995 on Good Friday my son died of AIDS-related diseases. He was one of over 650 who died from AIDS in Australia in that year.
Because of my position at the NSWRL, I approached the wonderful Ita Buttrose AO OBE (then chairman of AIDS Trust Australia) and she added me to the fundraising arm of the Trust. Also on that group was Bryce Courtney, whose son had contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion.
I take this opportunity to honour the Australia State AIDS councils, which led the world initiating such immediate programs as the needle exchange and revisiting blood screening.
Because of the concerns, the NSWRL reacted quickly, introducing blood borne infectious disease programs, the blood bin, on field duty of care and working with the doctors of the league in accrediting on field trainers.
The standing up by Ian Roberts, the great Australian forward, did much to remind the world of sport the Oscar Wilde quote: “Be yourself because everyone else is taken”.
Is there any particular achievement that stands out from the rest? What are you most proud of? The securing of the 16th team in the NRL is the stand out as it required the bid team to go all out on every detail because expansion was not even on the agenda of the RL, so we never knew what would convince the National Rugby League and the Queensland Government.
The NSWRL in accepting my submission as operations manager to simulate a neck injury using the Westpac Helicopter Service to manage the player transport, which led to the production of the Necksafe video.
The flow on benefits to the city of two stadiums being built allowed the City of the Gold Coast to use those facilities as “in place” for their successful bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
And of course, the Broughton Medal.