Anthony Byrne (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to talk about the 2018 FIFA World Cup fever gripping the nation. I'm delighted that so many residents in Holt have been watching the games. The FIFA World Cup is an event that truly brings the world together for the common good. Australia is the most multicultural country in the world. We truly have embraced the spirit of the World Cup. In Holt, migrants from all corners of the globe—Russia, Egypt, Iran, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Central and South America, Serbia, Nigeria and England—are embracing the 2018 World Cup. Unfortunately, there have been concerns about the failure of Optus Sport's coverage. However, I'm pleased that SBS, the home of football, has stepped in to ensure that all group games are accessible to Australians.

Importantly, my best wishes go to the Socceroos tonight—I'm sure the member for La Trobe would support that as well—in the match against Denmark. On behalf of my electorate—and I'll say La Trobe just for the sake of being bipartisan—you're agreeing?

Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Anthony Byrne (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's good—I wish our captain and all Australian players the very best.

In the Casey region in my electorate of Holt, there is growing interest in the world's great game of football. I'm delighted that Team 11 is submitting a bid to be one of the two new A-League teams for the 2019-20 season. Under the plan, Team 11 is looking for funding from both the Victorian and Australian governments to build a stadium with an initial seating capacity of between 12,000 and 20,000 people at a proposed site next to the Dandenong train station.

Team 11—and I'm sure the member for La Trobe will support this as well—is also wishing to obtain funding for an elite centre of excellence to be situated at Casey Fields in the Cranbourne East part of my electorate of Holt—even the new Holt. The facilities would include a natural turf pitch with floodlighting, a grandstand for approximately 700 people, three synthetic football fields, one natural turf football field, change rooms, fitness training and recovery facilities, and administration offices. These facilities will provide a development pathway for players in Melbourne's south-east.

Given that the Socceroos are participating in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and noting the growing—the exploding!—level of interest in football in our region, I hope that Football Federation Australia will give the people of the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne the A-League team that they want and deserve, and I'm sure the member for La Trobe will support me!

Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes!

Anthony Byrne (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Member for La Trobe. See, there's true bipartisanship here. In one of the fastest-growing and multiculturally diverse, but all people in the south-eastern suburbs are asking for this A-League team to come to the south-east.