John McVeigh (Groom, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm very pleased to say that the Groom electorate attracted more than $250,000 under round 1 and round 2 of the Community Sport Infrastructure grants program. In February 2019, I joined the President of the North Toowoomba Bowls Club, Cameron King, to announce $65,800 under the program to help build a 15 metre by six metre outdoor undercover area in between the club's two bowling greens. The pavilion was completed and officially opened in August 2019. The new pavilion is a great success, attracting more events, more players and more interest in lawn bowls for the North Toowoomba Bowls Club and facilitating regional tournaments for young and old, I'm pleased to say. This facility also houses the practices of the Harlaxton RSL Brass Band, providing significant community benefits indeed.

In April, I joined representatives of Football Queensland South West to announce $190,000 in funding for the organisation to complete installation of lighting at Captain Cook oval. These new lights, installed and commissioned just before Christmas, will open up many new opportunities for participation in football in the Toowoomba region. Snow Green from Football Queensland South West recently said that the new lights presented 'fantastic opportunities' for the local football community. He said they would help the representative side with training at night and support the local over 35s competition with night-time training. The organisation is looking forward to using the lights to support quite a large multicultural event later this year. I'm pleased to see the engagement of youth from across South-West Queensland, particularly Indigenous youth, in football activities in our city.

This important grassroots program was designed to support greater community participation in sport and physical activity and safer and more inclusive sporting hubs. That's exactly what we've been able to achieve in Toowoomba, and I'm pleased to confirm that to the House. I encourage people to apply for such programs. I will continue to do so and I will advocate for their applications when they're made. I'd like to address some misconceptions about Toowoomba Regional Council's application for some $500,000, I understand, for the Nellie Robinson facilities in South Toowoomba. This was an application that I unfortunately was not aware of, but I've spoken to the mayor about that, and he is now certainly aware that I'm in a position to advocate for programs that meet the needs of our community. I'll continue to do that. I'll champion sporting activities, in particular, and I assure all organisations that, together, we can continue to deliver for the Toowoomba region. (Time expired)

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