Tuesday, 30 April 2024

Ministers statements: Melbourne City Football Club

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (12:39): I rise today to update the house about a new program we have in our corrections system but also to congratulate the Melbourne City Football Club for successfully delivering the twinning project at the Melbourne Remand Centre (MRC) in partnership with Corrections Victoria. I know the President is an honorary supporter of Melbourne City Football Club, and it is fantastic that they are the first football club in the country to be running this twinning program.

The Australian-first program twins a professional football club with a correctional facility. The club then provides leadership, development, resilience training and reintegration programs to people in custody for an eight-week football coaching program. The program commenced in the United Kingdom under the leadership of Manchester City Football Club and is now in over 70 correctional facilities around the world, with MRC proudly hosting the first Australian program. I understand it is also being rolled out in New York and in South Africa shortly.

Earlier this month I had the honour of attending the graduation of the most recent cohort of participants. It was a pleasure to be joined by Sunil Menon, head of community at Melbourne City, and Nick Selisky, general manager of MRC and a stalwart of the corrections system, as well as a number of players, coaches and of course our hardworking corrections staff. The value of the program is clear, with the participants developing skills which are transferable in the real world, such as teamwork, leadership, resilience and confidence building, which will help them lead crime-free lives when they are back out in the community. The twinning project is just one example of many in the corrections system that are helping people turn their lives around and prevent the risk of reoffending.

A modern corrections system is about keeping the community safe in the short and long term. It is about doing what works to prevent reoffending and make the community safer well into the future. Whether it be through employment and training, medical care or addressing substance abuse issues, the Allan Labor government is doing what matters to break the cycle of reoffending. I want to again thank the Melbourne City Football Club for partnering with Corrections Victoria and doing their bit to keep our whole community safe.