Michael Sukkar (Deakin, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

For six years I've worked very hard to make sure that we're doing everything we can to upgrade our local community and sporting infrastructure. We've been very successful in what we've achieved, but there's more to come.

Just a couple of weeks ago I was very pleased to join with the Mayor of Maroondah City Council, Rob Steane, to announce a full redevelopment of the Cheong Park pavilion. Cheong Park is home to the South Croydon Football Club and the South Croydon Cricket Club. We were there for their annual Pink Stumps day, a huge fundraiser that the cricket club holds each year, to announce combined funding of $1.5 million to make sure that Cheong Park finally gets the redevelopment it deserves. There is $1 million from Maroondah City Council, and half a million dollars from the federal government that will ensure there is a second storey to the pavilion. It will also ensure that, finally, the facilities are upgraded to include women's change rooms and other appropriate facilities, to make sure that both the football and cricket clubs can go forward with a very strong women's competition.

Credit here should go to everybody at the football and cricket clubs, in particular, Cathy White from South Croydon Football Club and Daniel Barsenbach from South Croydon Cricket Club. They and their committees have lobbied hard for this over many years, and I'm just pleased that, along with Maroondah City Council, we've been able to answer their call and give them the development that they deserve.

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