Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Right next door to Geelong! But we weren't part of this regional development because we're outer suburban. But I was looking forward to watching the Australian Diamonds play in a Commonwealth Games in regional Victoria. My federal colleagues and I in the federal parliament share the disappointment that the Commonwealth Games won't happen in regional Victoria. We don't, however—like those opposite—want to politicise it. It seems perfectly reasonable to me that, if costs have blown to $6 billion, the Victorian government has made a tough decision in a cost-of-living crisis, where we have big build happening and where we have a focus around the need for housing. And, yes, we have a focus around the need for supporting infrastructure, a perennial issue, but it seems to me that they have made the tough decision to maintain a $2 billion spend to fulfil commitments to regional communities, including housing, but to save the state the cost of the Commonwealth Games.

Those opposite omitted to talk about the fact that the Commonwealth Games itself came to Victoria and asked for help and that this is not the only place that has reversed a decision around the Commonwealth Games. We are reminded that the Canadian province of Alberta has withdrawn its support to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, citing costs and other difficulties. Given that this is the federal parliament, we might want to talk about this federal government's commitment to sport. We might want to talk about the fabulous things that are happening now. We might want to mention the wonderful FIFA Women's World Cup event. To give credit where it's due, the former government did make a commitment to supporting the FIFA Women's World Cup. We've just had the joy of seeing that on our own shores. In my patch, we were hosts to Morocco as part of that. It generated an enormous amount of excitement in our communities and for young people. But, on top of that, this government, rather than finger-pointing, is focused on moving forward with inspirational and world-class sporting events—the green and gold decade of major sporting events being hosted in Australia, culminating in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic games. We're delivering record investment in boosting sports participation and developing the next generation of Australian athletes and para athletes.

We've worked collaboratively with the Queensland government to reach the funding agreement to deliver the infrastructure at the heart of Brisbane 2032, with the intergovernmental agreement signed by the Prime Minister and the Queensland Premier in February. There hasn't been a lot of talk about that from those opposite. The Australian government will be central to project planning and delivery, with decisions to be made jointly by both governments as the project progresses. Not only that, as recently as the past fortnight, we announced a special grants program around women's participation in sport, and we put together—not just announced—a program. I say that because, following the previous government, who were most noted for their coloured spreadsheets around sports grants, this government is being particularly careful. I want to mention Minister Wells for pulling together the expert panel around that $200 million grant program—people who have lived for sport and people who have competed in sport at the highest levels representing Australia who are now going to be sitting at a table working with our peak sports bodies to determine where those funds go.

This is a government that values sport, it's a government that understands the power of sport and it's a government that wants to see Australia compete at the highest levels and at the grassroots.

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