Nickolas Varvaris (Barton, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australians love sport and they certainly love cheering on a team that kicks goals. Playing sport, being a part of a team and working together are what has helped build this great nation. Almost every child grows up playing one form of sport such as netball, rugby, tennis, swimming and so forth. Undoubtedly, it has been a great Aussie tradition for a long time to enjoy a weekend footy match with the family, cheering on your favourite team. I know that our love for sport is shared by many of my colleagues and those on both sides of the House, because it is such a huge part of our national identity. Traditionally, when we talk about football in Australia, we are referring to an oblong-shaped ball that you attempt to score a try with—fellow New South Welshmen and Welshwomen can relate—or attempting to kick an oblong-shaped ball while running if you are from those states that swear by AFL. Nonetheless, our version of footy is what has sustained us for generations and is firmly entrenched in our national identity.

On the other hand, the other form of football—more commonly known as soccer on our shores and always referred to as football outside of Australia—is the largest participation sport in Australia. In my electorate of Barton, football or soccer is a key favourite for families. Aspiring young athletes and community soccer clubs regularly hold training sessions and games at one of several parks or ovals in the St George region. Nationally, there are over 1.96 million people, both men and women, who participate in football. Over half a million are registered participants, and 46,000 are in South Sydney alone. This should provide a clear picture of just what kind of an audience football generates in Australia. It may not have the same recognition that NRL, AFL or rugby union do, but it definitely elicits an equally passionate response from many of its fans. This, coupled with the enormous success our Socceroos have garnered, has fuelled the demand for more football- or soccer-related entertainment within close reach of Barton residents.

There is a precedent for all levels of government to support current and future sporting developments, given the obvious health benefits that sports like football produce. The federal government in June this year announced its $100 million Sporting Schools program, making it Australia's largest school based participation initiative for children. We do this because we want children to have a great hobby and engage in activities that keep them healthy. This program was partnered up with the Football Federation of Australia, because it is an organisation that offers terrific opportunities for children of all ages and physical abilities. The FFA provides excellent programs for aspiring young athletes to take their skills to the next level.

I have had the great pleasure of meeting with Football Federation Australia several times to discuss what opportunities exist for football in my electorate of Barton. As I mentioned earlier, Barton has a great number of soccer players, whether budding professionals or amateurs, and they appreciate the opportunity to have access to bigger and better sporting fields. Whilst other major sports like netball, NRL and AFL have received tremendous support from state and federal counterparts to build or rebuild infrastructure, the FFA is equally deserving of assistance. Football Federation Australia has come a long way in the development of high-performing international teams and the founding of the A-League. It will experience even more growth in the next 20 years, given its current trajectory of the participation base, the association's accessibility and its global outlook. The father of football in Australia, Johnny Warren, is an icon of the St George community. He played in Australia's first-ever World Cup game in 1974 and received FIFA's highest award, the Order of Merit, in 2003. These are just some of the reasons why the FFA should have Jubilee Oval and Barton Park as its permanent home in the heart of the Barton electorate. In particular, the A-League would be a great asset to South Sydney, where it has an incredible amount of support. For this to happen the FFA needs state-of-the-art training facilities and a stadium that can service the whole of South Sydney. This site would have national recognition as the home of football, with the capacity for a large volume of visitors. This would put South Sydney on the map, and deservedly so. For a long time Barton was that forgotten, in-between area nestled between the airport and some coastline, sometimes lumped in accidentally with the shire. Barton is in fact a high-growth area with fantastic infrastructure in place to support local visitors and the many young families who choose to raise their children here. It would be wonderful to have such a nationally recognised association use Jubilee Oval for games and training, which would attract immense local support. The additional Barton Park, currently underutilised, has the capacity to be a training facility for an A-League team as well as host elite youth tournaments and support the many local clubs who are in need of extra fields and turf. (Time expired)