THE Bindal Sharks rugby league organisation in Townsville has appealed to the sports’ governing body for fair and proper financial compensation following fixturing that could leave the community group short-changed in the hundreds of thousands.

The community-owned organisation is in the middle of preparing for the 37th edition of the popular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rugby League Carnival at Townsville Sports Reserve from October 13-15. 

The annual rugby league tournament attracts up to 30 men’s and women’s teams from across Queensland’s central and north, from Cape York and the Torres Strait. 

It began almost four decades ago. Planning for the event begins as early as November the preceding year. Each year the carnival is played in the middle of October. 

The influx of visiting teams, their players and fans to Townsville injects many thousands of dollars into the local economy, with accommodation, food, fuel, public transport, local taxis, air travel and other expenses. 

“(The carnival) is of a benefit to the wider community, not just to the Indigenous community,” Pryor said. 

But throwing a massive spanner in the works is the ARL-NRL. Rugby league’s Australian governing body has scheduled a double-header international featuring the Australian men’s and women’s national teams in Townsville head-to-head with the…