Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Recently I was joined by the shadow minister for sport, Senator Don Farrell, and Mary-Anne Thomas, the member for Macedon, out in Gisborne to hear from the hardworking committee of Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Precinct. They're proposing an indoor sports venue as well as vastly improved outdoor facilities in the Macedon Ranges to address the growing need with the unprecedented growth not only in Gisborne but across the Macedon Ranges. We know that access to venues allows our kids to lead active lives and participate in sports. It brings families across McEwen together.

But, in a style that's all too typical of this government, McEwen has once again missed out on funding. The government rejected Macedon Ranges Shire Council's application for funding under the federal Building Better Regions Fund, despite giving false hope to this community that it would happen. Since the Liberal-National government came to power, they've had four different ministers for infrastructure and transport. They have no commitment to consistency in funding in Infrastructure Australia, as has become crystal clear with all these reshuffles. The current Minister for Infrastructure,Transport and Regional Development, the Deputy Prime Minister himself, said the sports hub stacks up but he won't fund it. Mind you, this is the same minister who, when asked about what road projects in McEwen had been funded under this government, said 'the East West Link'. You and I both know that's a long way away from McEwen. What we've seen is that this government is just in total chaos and madness itself. A fair share for Victoria is not a remarkable ask.

See this speech in context