David Coleman (Banks, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I want to address an important issue today regarding a lack of infrastructure in my local community. The St George area does not have a professional quality athletics facility. There is no professional athletics track and no high-standard facilities for other athletics events. In my view this is unacceptable and it needs to change.

Most parts of Sydney have a quality athletics centre, including all of the areas that neighbour the St George area. If it is possible for the Sutherland Shire and Bankstown to have quality athletics facilities, it should be possible for St George too.

I am pleased that Hurstville Council has now agreed to investigate this issue and to look at the potential for such a facility to be built. In my view, the council needs to develop a clear plan to improve our athletics facilities. If it does so I will strongly support it and seek federal funding to help make the plan a reality

We have a strong local athletics community, with hundreds of families participating in Little Athletics at Olds Park in Penshurst. While Olds Park has for a long time been the home of Little Athletics in our area, the fact is that the facilities are not up to the same standard as those in other parts of Sydney.

I would like to thank Lisa Rios, the President of St George Little Athletics, and all of the committee for the work that they do for our local families. I attended the Little Athletics AGM earlier this year and was very impressed by the professionalism and dedication of the association members.

I believe that it is important that this matter is resolved, and I look forward to the outcome of the council planning study