Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Sport is the heartbeat of our communities. From early morning soccer matches at the local park to netball games under the evening lights, sport brings us together, fosters a sense of belonging and instils values beyond the field.

In my electorate of Bennelong, I've seen firsthand how sports transform lives. I've watched local clubs grow from humble beginnings into vibrant community hubs that offer so much more than just a place to play. I worked alongside Bennelong sporting clubs for over a decade in my capacity as a mayor and a councillor before coming to this place, and I know that sports fields are a place of learning, support and opportunity. In Australia, they are essential to the social fabric of our communities. But, for sport to continue to play this vital role, we must ensure it is accessible to everyone. The Play Our Way program is not, as the opposition suggests, a reactionary measure. It's a cornerstone of our government's commitment to inclusivity, designed to address longstanding inequities in sports participation, particularly for women and girls.

Over the past decade, women's participation in sports has boomed, and local councils and their sportsgrounds have struggled to deal with the demand. The Play Our Way program is designed to address these longstanding issues. It's designed to help girls and women have fair and equal access to the same sporting opportunities as boys and men. These funds will help address shortfalls with upgrades to sporting facilities, building unisex change rooms and increasing lighting around sporting grounds so that women and girls are safe at night.

Looking at this motion by the member for Durack, I have to say it's a bit of an own goal—pardon the pun—because it gives me the opportunity to compare and contrast the record of this government with that of the last government. This government will not take lectures from those opposite about funding sporting facilities. The Liberals and Nationals are the lot who brought a sports rort scandal, where public funds were used to benefit Liberal Party marginal seats. They are the ones who handed out grants based on colour-coded spreadsheets, not on clubs' or communities' actual needs. They are the lot who funded facilities for women's sports clubs when they didn't even have women's teams in the club. It wasn't just an ethical failure; it was an absolute scandal. Over 400 legitimate, highly rated applications for their sports rorts program were ignored in favour of projects chosen for their potential to secure votes.

Unlike those opposite, our government is committed to integrity and fairness in sports funding. The Play Our Way program is set up so that all applications are assessed independently and thoroughly. They will be needs based and, believe it or not, will be delivered to clubs and organisations that actually apply for the funding. We will not take advice from the Liberals and Nationals on this issue. We've engaged with experts across sport and government, including through the establishment of an independent and expert advisory panel, to ensure that this program delivers the best possible outcome for women and girls in communities across Australia. This process is rigorous and meticulous. We've received over 600 applications from every corner of the country, each one representing a unique community with specific needs. To rush this process would be a disservice to those communities and would undermine the very purpose of this program.

In my electorate of Bennelong, I have seen firsthand the excitement and anticipation that this program has generated. Local clubs that have long struggled with inadequate facilities are eager for the support that Play Our Way will provide. These are clubs where girls are still changing in men's bathrooms and playing on substandard fields. I've worked closely with many of these clubs over the years, advocating for their needs and supporting their growth. I know how desperately they need this funding not just to improve their facilities but to create an environment where women and girls feel welcome and encouraged to participate in sports. The Play Our Way program is designed to do just that.

This government wants to support projects that have a long-term impact by fostering a culture of inclusivity, and we will do that by ensuring that every dollar is spent openly and transparently and that each application has gone through an independent and thorough process.

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