Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Earlier this year, devastating floods hit many Queensland communities hard, including in my electorate of Bonner. During the floods, my team and I were out in the community delivering sandbags, removing equipment from local sporting clubs and checking in on local residents during this very uncertain time. It was heartbreaking to see the impact of the floods on family homes, businesses and community infrastructure.

Two sporting clubs that were hit hard by the floods in my electorate were the Wynnum Wolves Football Club and the Wynnum Manly District Cricket Club, located at Carmichael Park. The clean-up effort to support these great local clubs was an amazing show of community spirit. I spent many hours with my team, volunteers and club members helping rip up damaged carpet, removing waterlogged plaster from the clubhouse and cleaning off sporting equipment.

As part of my local flood recovery plan and working alongside Wynnum Wolves president Rabieh Krayem I was able to secure $4 million of federal government funding to help rebuild, expand and futureproof Carmichael Park. I'm glad to see the new government has honoured this investment. This funding will go directly into the execution of the Carmichael Park master plan, creating a more resilient and sustainable venue for all the community to enjoy. There will be not only state-of-the-art cricket and soccer facilities but also a family clubhouse, an art precinct and an array of dining options. An Indigenous canoeing adventure trail along Bulimba Creek, which backs onto Carmichael Park, is also in the works. Overseen by bayside legend and Quandamooka man Cameron Costello, this will help bring economic, social and cultural benefits to our community.

At 101 years old, the Wynnum Wolves Football Club currently has 960 members, with predictions to grow to 1,200 next year. It is exciting to see that 30 per cent of the participation comes from female players, with female participation expected to make up 40 per cent of the players by 2025. The Wynnum Manly District Cricket Club is an integral part of our sporting community and I'm proud to say that it is one of the integral clubs of Brisbane, with 350 juniors and 250 senior players at the club.

This expansion and rebuild will allow the clubs a chance to host high-quality state and national championships. It will also deliver the opportunity to connect our local community to international counterparts for the upcoming 2032 Olympics. Once complete, I'm proud to say, Carmichael Park will be one of the best sporting multi-user facilities in South-East Queensland. To the team behind this project—Rabieh and his wife, Vicky; Cameron; Graham Mapri; and Geoff Teys—I want to say a massive thank you for helping to create future sporting, economic and cultural opportunities for our community.

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