Sports Minister Mark Mitchell. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
Sports Minister Mark Mitchell wants Sports New Zealand to step in to help resolve the ongoing Silver Ferns coaching saga, saying it's taking far too long.
Last month shock waves were sent through the sport when Netball New Zealand stood Dame Noeline Taurua down before the Taini Jamison series against South Africa.
Taurua and her coaching staff were suspended after a review flagged "significant issues" in the team environment, sparked by player complaints back in February.
Several attempts at mediation failed to find a resolution and Yvette McCausland-Durie was brought in as interim coach.
Despite further attempts at mediation, the popular coach was then sidelined for the rest of the year, with the two parties still deadlocked.
The Silver Ferns are preparing to play the Australian Diamonds in Test two tonight after suffering a heavy loss in the Constellation Cup series opener on Friday.
Mitchell told Morning Report that while he and Sport New Zealand don't have an official role, as sports minister he wants to see it resolved as quickly as possible.
In 2018 Noeline Taurua (right) was revealed as the new Silver Ferns coach by NZ Netball CEO Jennie Wyllie (left). Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
"It's between Netball New Zealand and Dame Noeline but what I have said is it's taking too long, it's damaging netball, all of these people are deeply passionate about the game," Mitchell said.
Mitchell has spoken to Raelene Castle, the chief executive of Sport NZ.
"I've asked [the chief executive] to go away and see whether or not there are any levers or any support that we can provide, whether or not there are people who can help to unlock the negotiation that is going on. I've just said any expertise, any resource that we've got to be able to help this thing let's do it.
"But the expectation is that it's resolved quickly because it's taking too long."
Netball NZ receives $2.2 million per year from High Performance Sport New Zealand primarily to fund the Silver Ferns in their world championship cycle.
Mitchell shut down any suggestion that the government agency's funding to Netball NZ should be frozen until the issue is sorted, as has been suggested by Labour MP Willie Jackson.
"These are all good people who have done so much for netball in New Zealand and they themselves I'm sure are committed in wanting to get this resolved as quickly as possible as well, I don't know why it's taken so long."
Mitchell said he had not had any official briefings on the situation from Netball New Zealand but he had been briefed "at a very high level" by the chief executive of Sport NZ.
"They need to get around the table and they need to resolve it, simple as that."
The second Test in Sydney starts at 9.30pm.
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