Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am led to believe we are days away from big announcements about a fantastic program that this coalition government has instigated, the National Stronger Regions Fund. I know that many in this chamber would share my optimism that projects that we have supported in our local area may be able to be supported through this very important funding program.

I have been a very strong advocate of the Frankston Basketball Stadium redevelopment and upgrade to take it from being a real focal point for sporting effort and participation to being a community hub that is able to support job creation, larger events and bringing some of the big stars to that great 'Southern Hemisphere capital' known as Frankston. It would bring better educational outcomes by having a sports focused curriculum that engages students so that they stay involved with their education. It would promote active lifestyle participation and reach out to and support communities for whom sporting participation is very difficult.

This is what this project is about: a youth expo hub, a pop-up youth services centre, somewhere to extend the studies that the Australian Research Council has funded through Monash University and the Chisholm Institute to look at how sports and leisure participation and recreation deliver great benefits for the community more broadly. I am hopeful we can come to the table. They are looking for just under $5 million from the Commonwealth; all we have had from the state Labor government is press releases—not a penny. The state Liberal government has made a contribution, and I am hoping we can do likewise at a national level.

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