Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I greatly appreciate that acknowledgement. Firstly I want to speak today about Jubilee Park in my electorate in Frankston. Last week the Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government, the Hon. Dr John McVeigh and I met with the Mayor of Frankston City Council, Councillor Colin Hampton, to talk about the project at Jubilee Park. Minister McVeigh has been very involved with the Dunkley electorate, as many of my projects, whether they are under the Stronger Communities Program, the Community Development Program, election commitments or something else, fall within his portfolio.

My ongoing advocacy for grassroots sports facilities in Dunkley is reflected in the many of the meetings I have had with ministers, and having the mayor join us accelerated our discussions about how we can continue to support our local basketballers, netballers, indoor cricketers and footballers at Jubilee Park and also through other sporting projects across the electorate, whether they be expansion works, change room rebuilds to enable more female participation in sport, and more.

Noting your mention of Zac in my electorate, he is a young person who is aspiring to go into politics, but sporting facilities in electorates also help young people generally to engage in the community. This prevents disengagement, whether they are trying to engage in education, employment, community activities and more. But it is very important across the electorate for young people.

In particular, the proposed plans of Jubilee Park, funded under $350,000 I committed in June 2016, present some amazing opportunities for a number of different sporting clubs and young people in my community. I have seen the designs for the Jubilee Park Master Plan, which is looking fantastic, and acknowledge that our funded plan has now resulted in $7.1 million being committed by council. The plans account for facilities that will benefit many local sporting codes, from netball to basketball, indoor cricket and football, as well as the Frankston RSL.

I'm very proud to have advocated on behalf of the community for this project. This project will benefit hugely from $5.2 million of budgeted funding that I have been working with the minister and his department to keep in our region following our proposal from council for this project. I'm also fighting for extra funds to contribute to the overall $31 million Jubilee Park Master Plan project.

Our electorate needs these facilities, and our players deserve them. This project will also be assisted by additional car parks around the facility as well as the $228 million in the recent budget I've secured towards the extension of the metro rail from Frankston to Baxter, which will involve a station servicing Karingal that will be very near Jubilee Park and will provide a service to this wonderful facility. I have consulted with many community groups, canvassed the community and met with council and stakeholder groups. I am working closely with Minister McVeigh and thank him for his support so far not only for Jubilee Park but for facilities across my electorate.