Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I wish to bring to the attention of the chamber the desperate need for major upgrades of sports facilities in Berwick—in particular the Berwick football and netball clubs—and also in the Pakenham area. When it comes to the Berwick football and netball clubs, the netballers currently have no change rooms or showers for training or game day. They have two small public toilet cubicles or their cars to get changed into and out of their playing gear, which is totally unacceptable. There is nowhere even to have a shower: the way they dry off is basically to stand around until their clothes are no longer wet, which is an absolute disgrace.

The great news is that I've worked with the Australian federal government, and we've been able to receive $1.5 million for the Berwick football and netball clubs. I'd really like to thank Peter Hughes for all the great work he has done. Working with me too have been Glenn Gambetta, and Mel Bradley from the netballers. I want to give special to the Casey council, to the mayor, Amanda Stapledon, and to councillor Susan Serey, as Casey council has matched the funding.

I come now to the Pakenham area, which I have just inherited under the redistribution. I visited the Pakenham Football and Netball Club, and I have been very proud to announce $1.5 million. I'd like to acknowledge Travis Hamilton for the work he has done to secure this funding, as well as Ian Shaw, Tom Dalton and Marg Jones. When I first visited the netball facility, the girls had no toilets and no change rooms. It was an absolute disgrace. That will now change into the future.

This brings me to the junior sports over in Pakenham: the Pakenham Junior Football Club, Little Athletics and the cricket and baseball clubs. Again, their facilities are totally unacceptable. Again, there are no female change rooms. They have hundreds of junior players there each week. The great news is the federal government have been able to secure $3 million in funding. This is going to make a huge difference to sports, and especially junior sports. I'd like to thank the junior football club president, Salv Mileto; at Little Athletics, Bol Woutars; at the cricket club, Phil Anning; and at the baseball club, Greg Clutterbuck. When I first visited the Little Athletics area and also the junior football club, they told me no government council has ever helped their club out before. So this is fantastic news to support needy clubs in the electorate of La Trobe. It's something I'm very proud the Morrison government is doing every day.

See this speech in context