Tuesday, 16 May 2023

 Richard RIORDAN (Polwarth) (19:08): (165) My adjournment this evening is for the Minister for Community Sport, like my colleague from Croydon.

David Hodgett: Is it Mooroolbark footy club?

Richard RIORDAN: No, it is not. The action I seek is the presence of the minister – for her to come down to my electorate to visit a couple of passionate local sports clubs that have been doing it hard for a very long time and would very much appreciate some of the government’s largesse that they have been very good at throwing out on their various love projects in the big smoke.

I first of all bring the minister’s attention to the Irrewillipe footy club and rec reserve. It is the home of the Western Eagles. The Irrewillipe sports club is one of those fantastic local footy netball clubs that support a vibrant and prosperous farming community. They have done it hard for a very long time. They have possibly got some of the worst community facilities anywhere in the Colac & District Football Netball League. It is desperately in need of an update.

Then there are of course the good people in Birregurra. The Birregurra community rec reserve is also in desperate need. I note the minister at the table, the Minister for Police, knows where Birregurra is because he is used to going to the very expensive restaurant at Birregurra, and he spends a lot of time at Lorne and not really worrying about the people of Ivanhoe. However, I digress. It is vital that the minister also comes down and talks to the people of Birregurra, because the government has been quick at handing out a dollar here and a dollar there at Birregurra – they have got some new lights, and they are very grateful for that; Minister Tierney was down to open the lights – but what that community needs are safe change rooms. They need a gathering space where the kids can meet on Thursday night like all other leagues do to share a meal together without falling through the floorboards, which I inspected only Saturday a week ago. This community has been working tirelessly. They are pushing hard. They have got a large fundraiser coming up and they need the support of the government to at least give them hope that the hard work and fundraising that they are doing can be in some part matched by the government.

There are other communities around the Colac district – the South Colac footy club and the Eastern Reserve, home to the netball, baseball and cricket clubs – that are all worthy recipients of getting their very, very out-of-date facilities upgraded so that they can adequately deal with the needs of modern community sport, where boys, girls, men, women and others come together and need suitable facilities so that they can encourage and grow participation in these country communities. I urge you, Minister: to find some time in your diary. I would love to show you around and introduce you to some great, well-supported community sports clubs in the Polwarth electorate that could really do with help this budget.