Page 4915 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 25 October 2011
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recreation to provide quality opportunities in the ACT; maximise opportunities for outstanding individual successes; maximise opportunities for sustainable outstanding team performances; create Canberra’s image as the national sporting capital; and maximise supporting infrastructure and resources.
I was very happy that the results of work I had undertaken in consulting with community sporting groups were taken into account when these goals and strategies were developed. And I am very proud of the investment that this government is making in local sport. In particular, I would like to highlight several investments made in sporting infrastructure in my electorate.
In the 2011-12 budget, the ACT government committed $2 million for the development of the Kippax district playing fields. This commitment will ensure that both Australian football and cricket teams can utilise the facility. This development includes a new pavilion, incorporating change rooms and canteen facilities, and it is in partnership with the Belconnen Magpies football club. I know the Magpies are delighted to be receiving this funding, and I look forward to watching some games from the completed facilities.
The ACT government also committed over $500,000 to restore the Charnwood district playing fields. The oval’s water supply was switched off during the drought, and it is great news that it will be able to be used by the community into the future.
The minister has already mentioned the Hawker softball centre, a centre which is a hive of activity and brings many teams from across Australia and our region to compete. The ACT government has supported Basketball ACT through the commitment of $3 million towards the centre of excellence. The centre will be basketball’s new home on the north side, providing top-class playing and training facilities for Canberra’s amateur and elite basketballers.
In early 2009, the commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations approved an application from the ACT government for $2.4 million under the local schools working together program. As the minister has mentioned, this funding, including funding from the ACT government, has enabled Nicholls neighbourhood oval to be redeveloped using synthetic grass. This project has been of great benefit to the sporting community and the two adjacent schools, Holy Spirit primary school and Gold Creek primary school. This project was completed in late 2010. However, these are just a few investments that the ACT government has made in sporting facilities in the territory.
As the minister has just said, the opposition’s stance on these sporting facilities is clear. The ACT Liberals voted against these important sporting facilities in successive ACT budgets. The opposition have neglected sports since the last election and are only now trying to score a few cheap political points off it, but it is too little, too late, as the minister said.
While the opposition has pledged an extra $3.5 million for sports facilities, this is dwarfed by the investment that this government is making and has made. In the 2011-12 budget, the ACT government is delivering $36.5 million in new and existing
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