Zaneta Mascarenhas (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last year, the Matildas captured the heart of the nation. The most watched TV event was the Matildas. Women's sport was on the front page, not the back page. And what this demonstrated is what women can do and what they want. Creating a level playing field is what the Albanese Labor government is about, and we're literally doing this in the heart of the City of South Perth.

The Albanese government is investing $5.5 million to build new change rooms and install lighting in parks and reserves across the City of South Perth. This will mean safer and better sporting and recreation facilities. It will allow more people to be active and more women and girls to fall in love with sports. Female sporting competitions will now be able to prosper in the area. This project will include all-gender facilities at six sporting grounds: Bill Grayden Reserve, Challenger Reserve, Collier Reserve, George Burnett Park, Morris Mundy Reserve and Richardson Park.

We're also seeing the installation of sports lighting at the required Australian standard at Challenger Reserve, George Burnett Park and Richardson Park. The change rooms will mean that female athletes have access to shower cubicles, toilet cubicles and bench spaces. The truth is that some of these spaces look like they were built after World War II. These will be updated, fresh and exciting. New lighting will mean improved safety at local sporting reserves and an increase in training and competition areas available for female sport.

Currently, 8,000 females participate per annum in sporting activities around these grounds. Some of the clubs that will benefit include the Trinity Aquinas Amateur Football Club, the South Perth Baseball Club, the South Perth United Football Club, Perth Pride FC, South Perth Rugby League Club, Southern Stars Touch Football club, South Perth Cricket Club, South Perth Junior Cricket Club, the South Perth hockey club, and the WASP Hockey Club.

The City of South Perth has reported that substandard lighting and poor existing change rooms discourage participation of women and girls in sport. I'm delighted that the Albanese government has answered the call. These are some of the responses that we received from locals yesterday:

"Thank you! The South Perth soccer club/manning sports halls have needed upgrades for over 30 years. It's great we finally can use them."

"We couldn't be happier to receive this funding."

"The funds are deploying widely across the City and that is excellent."

We expect that the change rooms will result in an increase in participation of 30,000 women and girls per year. These improved facilities will be delivered through the Australian government's Female Facilities and Water Safety Stream Program. They expect them to be ready by 2025. I can't wait to see these facilities in action. Bring it on!

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