Jason Falinski (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

There are many jewels in the sporting crown of my Northern Beaches electorate. Two of those are the Manly Warringah Gymnastics Club in Cromer and the athletics track in Narrabeen. The gymnastics club has 2,371 members—given it is almost to the hour, make that 2,372 members—has over 220,000 visits each year and employs 50 staff, making it the largest club in the largest state in the greatest country in the world. The club is entirely community owned and run, receiving no government funding. Forty per cent of the state team that went to the national championships were from the Manly Warringah Gymnastics Club. This is quite an achievement when you consider there are 191 gymnastics clubs in New South Wales. The club is in need of new premises. As growth of the sport of gymnastics continues to boom, the club is being squeezed out by other activities. With a membership drawn from over 55 postcodes, the club services a significant area beyond the Northern Beaches.

The second sporting crown jewel is a synthetic athletics track which is the training home of current and former Olympians. The track services a region with nearly a million people within it and is used by school after school for athletics carnivals. However, the track is no longer fit for purpose and is in such a state of disrepair that it is causing injury to young athletes. The track is owned by the New South Wales state government, and I am pushing them hard to fund the million dollars needed to repair the track and surrounding facilities.

In the context of these sporting jewels, I am proud that the Prime Minister has signalled a new focus on preventive health in 2017 from the Commonwealth government that will give people the right tools and information to live active and healthy lives. Sport plays an important role in improving mental health. It strengthens our community—everyone's community—along with increasing Australia's overall physical health. Participation in sport is important at all ages. I think the oldest playing rugby player in the world is a Japanese man who is 94 years of age. The National Sports Plan will set a vision for sport in Australia into the future, promoting generational behavioural change in our attitudes towards physical activity, driving healthy, active lifestyles.

From 2016 to 2020, the Turnbull government will invest close to $1½ billion in sport and recreation. Commonwealth funding for sport within the Health portfolio in 2016-17 includes $40 million for Sporting Schools. The Turnbull government is investing $160 million in Sporting Schools, including an additional $60 million announced at the election to extend and expand the program. Sporting Schools is delivering in almost 6,000 schools across the country. Only 19 per cent of our kids are meeting physical activity guidelines, so the Turnbull government is right to invest in our kids' physical health. The program currently covers primary schools and, from 1 July 2017, will also cover years 7 and 8.

Other investments includes: $20.4 million for sport participation activities through the ASC; $110 million to be invested in high-performance sport; $4.3 million for sport integrity measures; $14.1 million for ASADA to deliver its programs; $11.7 million for water safety and other safety initiatives; $156 million, which was provided to the Queensland government in the 2014-15 budget for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games; $154 million for sporting infrastructure; $2 million for legacy initiatives to support projects from 2013 to 2018; the Broadcast and Content Reform Package within the Communications and the Arts portfolio, which will include a community dividend in the form of further restrictions on gambling advertising during live sports programs; and $30 million over four years for subscription television to maintain and increase coverage of women's sport, niche sports and high-participation sports that are less sustainable to broadcast.

My question is: can the minister please advise how I can pursue opportunities for federal government investment in sporting infrastructure on behalf of my community, particularly for a new home for the Manly Warringah Gymnastics Club and for much-needed repairs to the Narrabeen athletics track?

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