Latest news with #Finlayson
The National
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The National
Killie platform is great, but barriers are not just physical
Sometimes, when it comes to improving disabled access to football, there is more to it than meets the eye. And when massive steps forward are made in one area, they can sometimes be accompanied by a lack of progress, or a step backwards in others. Take the raised platform that Kilmarnock have built in the Moffat Stand for their home supporters, for instance. For Killie fans like Laurie Finlayson, it has been a transformational addition to his experience of going to Rugby Park. "Absolutely, it has,' Finlayson said. 'I mean, it's a completely different experience from before the platform was actually installed. 'If I'm being really picky, I would have preferred the platform to be a wee bit higher up, but when you look at it, you are sitting at a reasonable height. You feel you're as high as everyone else and most importantly, you are in amongst the crowd. That's one of the biggest things, because in many disabled sections up and down the country, you do feel quite segregated. 'It has definitely lived up to the expectations and I'm obviously so grateful to the club and everyone who contributed for getting it done. (Image: Laurie Finlayson) 'I think over and above the physical facilities though, there has to be a commitment from all clubs just to make it a more inclusive experience, you know? It's not just about, 'We are in the stand, so that's great.' That is fantastic, don't get me wrong, and you've got that at Killie, you're part of the crowd. 'But it's also the whole match day experience.' What Finlayson is referring to are the issues that may not be immediately apparent to those who are fortunate enough to be able to do something as simple as buying their tickets for the match online, or even pay for them on the day with their bank card. 'Buying tickets is a great example,' he said. 'Very often, you can't buy tickets online, or you can't pay with your card. 'This isn't me having a go at Killie here or any other club, but just as an example, when I bought my season ticket this summer the options were to either pay in cash or by cheque. 'That isn't exclusive to Kilmarnock in any way, but it just sort of shows that when it comes to dealing with disabled supporters, a lot of these things are kind of stuck behind the times. Read more: 'At away games, you have to phone ahead, you have to email ahead, and a lot of the time, you have to go and lift cash. It just leads to an inconsistency of service and adds another level of stress for disabled supporters.' (Image: Laurie Finlayson) Finlayson is generally positive though when it comes to the direction of travel across Scottish football when it comes to helping disabled fans have a more 'normal' experience, and he had praise for the addition of a raised platform in Hampden's North Stand, not only because of the standard of the facility, but because the national stadium now offers something that disabled fans are usually denied – choice. "One thing I would love is if you could choose where to sit,' he said. 'That is so important as well. I love to be able to sit in the new platform in the Moffat Stand, but say, for example, if you wanted to be over where the atmosphere is in the East Stand or whatever, you can't do it. 'That's why it was really a good thing for me when they built the raised platform at the back of the North Stand at Hampden. 'What they used to do was put you at the bottom of the South Stand, but in the North Stand now there's a really good, raised section where you are amongst the crowd, people can come and talk to you and catch up and whatever, just as anyone else would in the stand. And that is incredibly important. "As a disabled fan, I just wish they would shout about it a bit more. It is incredible, and for a while, I didn't know anything about it. 'What happened was we were going to the Poland game and my uncle was sitting in the North Stand, so I just asked, 'Can I sit in the North Stand so we can be in the same end?' 'At no point was I told what that area was like. I assumed it was just on a bit of concrete on the side of the stand, and I was just on the periphery, I didn't think it for a minute it would be what it was. 'But when I sat there, it's practically on halfway, the atmosphere was great. It's absolutely fantastic. 'We need to shout about these things and show when good work is being done.'
The Herald Scotland
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Killie platform is great, but barriers are not just physical
Sometimes, when it comes to improving disabled access to football, there is more to it than meets the eye. And when massive steps forward are made in one area, they can sometimes be accompanied by a lack of progress, or a step backwards in others. Take the raised platform that Kilmarnock have built in the Moffat Stand for their home supporters, for instance. For Killie fans like Laurie Finlayson, it has been a transformational addition to his experience of going to Rugby Park. "Absolutely, it has,' Finlayson said. 'I mean, it's a completely different experience from before the platform was actually installed. 'If I'm being really picky, I would have preferred the platform to be a wee bit higher up, but when you look at it, you are sitting at a reasonable height. You feel you're as high as everyone else and most importantly, you are in amongst the crowd. That's one of the biggest things, because in many disabled sections up and down the country, you do feel quite segregated. 'It has definitely lived up to the expectations and I'm obviously so grateful to the club and everyone who contributed for getting it done. (Image: Laurie Finlayson) 'I think over and above the physical facilities though, there has to be a commitment from all clubs just to make it a more inclusive experience, you know? It's not just about, 'We are in the stand, so that's great.' That is fantastic, don't get me wrong, and you've got that at Killie, you're part of the crowd. 'But it's also the whole match day experience.' What Finlayson is referring to are the issues that may not be immediately apparent to those who are fortunate enough to be able to do something as simple as buying their tickets for the match online, or even pay for them on the day with their bank card. 'Buying tickets is a great example,' he said. 'Very often, you can't buy tickets online, or you can't pay with your card. 'This isn't me having a go at Killie here or any other club, but just as an example, when I bought my season ticket this summer the options were to either pay in cash or by cheque. 'That isn't exclusive to Kilmarnock in any way, but it just sort of shows that when it comes to dealing with disabled supporters, a lot of these things are kind of stuck behind the times. Read more: 'At away games, you have to phone ahead, you have to email ahead, and a lot of the time, you have to go and lift cash. It just leads to an inconsistency of service and adds another level of stress for disabled supporters.' (Image: Laurie Finlayson) Finlayson is generally positive though when it comes to the direction of travel across Scottish football when it comes to helping disabled fans have a more 'normal' experience, and he had praise for the addition of a raised platform in Hampden's North Stand, not only because of the standard of the facility, but because the national stadium now offers something that disabled fans are usually denied – choice. "One thing I would love is if you could choose where to sit,' he said. 'That is so important as well. I love to be able to sit in the new platform in the Moffat Stand, but say, for example, if you wanted to be over where the atmosphere is in the East Stand or whatever, you can't do it. 'That's why it was really a good thing for me when they built the raised platform at the back of the North Stand at Hampden. 'What they used to do was put you at the bottom of the South Stand, but in the North Stand now there's a really good, raised section where you are amongst the crowd, people can come and talk to you and catch up and whatever, just as anyone else would in the stand. And that is incredibly important. "As a disabled fan, I just wish they would shout about it a bit more. It is incredible, and for a while, I didn't know anything about it. 'What happened was we were going to the Poland game and my uncle was sitting in the North Stand, so I just asked, 'Can I sit in the North Stand so we can be in the same end?' 'At no point was I told what that area was like. I assumed it was just on a bit of concrete on the side of the stand, and I was just on the periphery, I didn't think it for a minute it would be what it was. 'But when I sat there, it's practically on halfway, the atmosphere was great. It's absolutely fantastic. 'We need to shout about these things and show when good work is being done.'
1News
27-06-2025
- Business
- 1News
'Terrible idea': Finlayson weighs in on Ngāpuhi settlement proposal
Former Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson has called Shane Jones' proposal to force New Zealand's largest iwi Ngāpuhi into a single commercial settlement 'a terrible idea'. Jones confirmed yesterday that he was drafting a Members' Bill that would stop the Northland tribe from receiving multiple commercial redress packages with smaller groups. That's despite Ngāpuhi being made up of more than 100 individual hapū or subtribes. Ngāti Hine, a group affiliated to Ngāpuhi, has long challenged the idea of a single commercial settlement and would like to negotiate its own separate deal. Shane Jones (Source: 1News) ADVERTISEMENT Finlayson told 1News Ngāti Hine should be allowed to given how 'organised' and 'advanced' it was to enter negotiations. He said the Crown could adopt a similar settlement model to that Ngāti Kahungunu, the country's third largest iwi, which successfully negotiated multiple commercial deals. The official signing will be later today, former National minister Chris Finlayson saying the deal has been achieved in good time. (Source: Breakfast) That iwi's tribal territory stretches along the eastern coast of the North Island and was divided into seven 'natural groupings' according to geography and whakapapa. Each received their own commercial redress package. However, Finlayson said he did not agree with some suggestions that Ngāpuhi would receive the biggest settlement to date. He said Ngāpuhi did not experience 'raupatu' or 'land confiscation' to the same extent of other iwi like Waikato of Ngāi Tahu, who each settled for $170 million, ADVERTISEMENT He warned that if Ngāpuhi was to receive a quantum above that amount, it would dismantle the principle of 'relativity' among other settled iwi.
1News
24-06-2025
- Business
- 1News
Chris Finlayson weighs in on Ngāpuhi settlement proposal
Former Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson has called Shane Jones' proposal to force New Zealand's largest iwi Ngāpuhi into a single commercial settlement 'a terrible idea'. Jones confirmed yesterday that he was drafting a Members' Bill that would stop the Northland tribe from receiving multiple commercial redress packages with smaller groups. That's despite Ngāpuhi being made up of more than 100 individual hapū or subtribes. Ngāti Hine, a group affiliated to Ngāpuhi, has long challenged the idea of a single commercial settlement and would like to negotiate its own separate deal. Shane Jones (Source: 1News) ADVERTISEMENT Finlayson told 1News Ngāti Hine should be allowed to given how 'organised' and 'advanced' it was to enter negotiations. He said the Crown could adopt a similar settlement model to that Ngāti Kahungunu, the country's third largest iwi, which successfully negotiated multiple commercial deals. That iwi's tribal territory stretches along the eastern coast of the North Island and was divided into seven 'natural groupings' according to geography and whakapapa. Each received their own commercial redress package. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds including Iran's retaliation, Auckland Council's catering cost, and the new way to look deep into space. (Source: 1News) However, Finlayson said he did not agree with some suggestions that Ngāpuhi would receive the biggest settlement to date. He said Ngāpuhi did not experience 'raupatu' or 'land confiscation' to the same extent of other iwi like Waikato of Ngāi Tahu, who each settled for $170 million, ADVERTISEMENT He warned that if Ngāpuhi was to receive a quantum above that amount, it would dismantle the principle of 'relativity' among other settled iwi.
AU Financial Review
26-05-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
WA gold rock star extends buying spree with $250m mine
Gold mining rock star Raleigh Finlayson has consolidated his dominance over Western Australia's Leonora district by inking a $250 million buyout of a China-backed mine. The all-cash buyout of Focus Minerals' Laverton Gold project is Genesis Minerals boss Finlayson's latest deal in the region as the precious metal's record price spurs takeovers across the sector.
