Sport and recreation—Community facilities
47. Ms Jodie Hanns to the Minister for Sport and Recreation:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's significant investment into grassroots sport, including direct support of local sporting organisations.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house how the Cook Labor government is contributing to the thriving grassroots sport culture of Western Australia and prioritising long-term social benefits to the community?
(2) Can the minister advise the house whether she is aware of any alternative proposals to deliver sporting infrastructure projects?
Ms Rita Saffioti replied:
(1)–(2) I thank the member for Collie–Preston for that question. Of course, the member is very passionate, as are all members on this side of Parliament, about grassroots football, whether it be the Eaton Bombers getting $850,000—
Mr David Scaife: Boomers.
Ms Rita Saffioti: Boomers! I heard there is an Eaton Bombers team commencing very soon, too. This side of government is always creating new opportunities for new teams!
The Eaton Boomers football club is getting $850,000 for lighting upgrades. In the electorate of the member for Bicton, there are commitments to new women's change rooms, and, of course, in the electorate of the member for Pilbara, there are more netball courts. Across a whole community, across the state, it is about supporting grassroots sports. As we know, there is a huge demand out there for new playing surfaces, whether it be ovals, pitches, fields or hard courts. Across the state, there is massive demand for lighting to make sure we can use our ovals, pitches and fields more, and that means having better lighting. I was able to visit the Leederville Oval upgrade just recently. That is now broadcast quality. Women are now able to play and train, as well as men, at Leederville. There are the upgrades to Sam Kerr Football Centre, with two new pitches to make sure that again it is all about supporting grassroots football. Over $300 million is being invested in grassroots sport across the state. We all know that when we are talking to our local clubs and associations, the demand is immense, and we need to continue to support them. That is our priority—supporting grassroots football.
We saw the Leader of the Opposition come out with, again, his obsession for the Commonwealth Games—the $2 billion obsession for the Commonwealth Games.
Mr Basil Zempilas: You're making that number up, Treasurer.
Ms Rita Saffioti: It is $2 billion. He went out there and he called for it, then he disappeared. That is the second time he has done that. That $2 billion would not be invested in our local sports but in the Leader of the Opposition's obsession. Now remember it was a Liberal Party that committed to the "right priorities": We have already heard that its priorities are a WA-based Coachella; it is a bigger Bell Tower in the middle of the Swan River; it is a billion-dollar waterfront; and now, again, it is the Commonwealth Games. Imagine what people would be saying if all those workers who are building those homes—I mean, we are hitting record levels of completions of approvals; we have seen the rental vacancy rate go up to 2.5%—were building the athletes village right now. Imagine that! We would be criticised if all those workers who are delivering tens of thousands of homes were out there delivering the athletes village. We have got the right priorities. We are talking about housing in our community, grassroots sport and working with our local clubs. Our local clubs are the Boomers—
Mr Basil Zempilas: And the Bombers too!
Ms Rita Saffioti: And the Bombers, who are coming into the competition. I cannot wait to welcome the Boomers and the Bombers and all those clubs around the state as we work with them to make sure we have the facilities to get our young people out there, to get our community out there, and, of course, to make sure all those volunteers out there have the right facilities to continue to support our local communities.
