Bills
Sports and Entertainment Trust Bill 2025
Second reading
Resumed from an earlier stage of the sitting.
Mrs Michelle Maynard (Swan Hills) (2:44 pm): Before question time, I was letting the house know about some of the fantastic sporting—
The Speaker: Sorry, member. Members, if you are moving out of the chamber, please do so quietly. Thank you. Carry on, member.
Mrs Michelle Maynard: I was letting the house know about some of the amazing sporting commitments that I made to the people of Swan Hills, including the $50,000 upgrade that we are doing to the car park at the Swan Valley Sporting and Community Club. When I was on the election campaign trail, I got to visit many sporting clubs and this one needed an urgent upgrade. Members might think that a car park does not have that much to do with sport, but it helps our people get to their club. This club is amazing. It hosts sporting events, social events and fundraisers and provides seniors with their community dinners. Parking at the club has long been a challenge. On busy weekends, there are also safety concerns. This investment supports ease of access, protects the safety of children moving between fields and vehicles and ensures that the club remains a vibrant, accessible community hub for years to come.
Another commitment that I made—I am incredibly proud of and excited for this—is the $250,000 commitment in Bullsbrook. Bullsbrook is one of the fastest growing communities in Swan Hills and there has always been a need for our youth to have more to do. When I was on the campaign trail, I had many discussions with not only the Bullsbrook Residents and Ratepayers Association, but also the amazing youth who attend the Bullseye Youth Centre program. They said to us, "We want somewhere to hang out. We want somewhere that we can call our own, to feel safe and be seen." We came up with the idea of investing $250,000 in an outdoor youth space.
It has been a busy couple of weeks in Bullsbrook. A Woolworths supermarket opened; I have never seen the community more excited about a shopping centre! As someone who has some form of obsessive-compulsive disorder, it made me incredibly happy on opening day to see the shelves stocked absolutely perfectly, with all the labels facing the right way. The shelves were completely full. We also have new eateries up there. We are investing $250,000 in the community space for a youth outdoor space. I have a meeting this week to talk about what that is going to look like. It is not just about the play equipment that we will put in; it is about giving the young people of Bullsbrook somewhere to belong, hang out with their mates and grow confidence. It will provide a positive outlet, which I hope will support youth wellbeing and help keep the local kids connected to their community. In an area that is growing rapidly and facing increasing social and infrastructure pressures, investments like this are definitely essential. I look forward to working with the young people of Bullsbrook, the Bullsbrook Residents and Ratepayers Association and Oakland Communities to deliver this project.
Sport is not just for young people; it is for everybody. Another commitment that I made during the campaign was $250,000 to the Ellenbrook Bowls Club. As a patron of the club, I am so proud that we will be able to deliver this. This club is a quiet powerhouse in our electorate, home to long-serving volunteers, a former Commonwealth Games champion, seniors who rely on the social connection it provides and a growing number of new members as our community expands. Because of the population expansion, the facility has been under strain. Ageing infrastructure and accessibility challenges have been raised with me by members from Ellenbrook and Aveley. This upgrade is about preserving a vital community space. We will be expanding the clubhouse to give bowls members somewhere to congregate while the rest of their space is used to support a local small-business restaurant. Bowls is one of the most socially connected sports we have. It combines recreation, mental wellbeing, physical activity and intergenerational community building. This investment will ensure that Ellenbrook Bowls Club remains strong, modern, welcoming and inclusive.
The commitments I made, both large and small, during the campaign share a common purpose; it is to strengthen the places where community happens from Ellenbrook to Bullsbrook, from the Swan Valley to Upper Swan. I am proud that we, the Cook Labor government, are investing in the spaces where children learn resilience, where teens gain confidence, where seniors stay active and where families come together. These commitments are not just being kept; they are being delivered. I will continue to work every day to ensure that the people of Swan Hills have the facilities, opportunities and support that they deserve.
The message from this government is incredibly clear. We build stronger, healthier communities by backing sport and recreation at every level. That starts with participation, belonging and the simple joy of putting on a team jumper and knowing that someone is cheering for you on the sidelines. If you are anything like my kids, you have to put up with that cheering being loud and embarrassing, but I make no apologies for that. Initiatives like KidSport have opened that door for thousands of children. As the treasurer of the Ellenbrook Dockers Junior Football Club, I often saw how families used those vouchers to participate. This year alone, more than $10 million will help families to cover club fees, uniforms and equipment. For so many families across Swan Hills, especially in Ellenbrook, Aveley and The Vines, that support is genuinely life-changing. As I mentioned in my inaugural speech, I know what it is like to be a part of a family that could not afford for their children to participate in sport due to family reasons. I was not able to continue with my dance lessons because my mum could not afford it. Since its inception, more than 360,000 KidSport vouchers have been issued. I have met local parents who have told me that without them, their kids simply would not be playing. That is what investment in sport does. It not only funds facilities, but also allows kids to have a go. This government has committed more than $200 million to major sport and recreational developments across Western Australia. They are not vanity projects. They are investments that will serve generations: the Australian Hockey Centre, the Malaga Sports Precinct and the expanded Sam Kerr Football Centre. These projects are not just elite facilities. They create pathways, drive participation and support jobs. Every one of these projects fits in with the PlayOn WA: 2030 by 2030 initiative, delivering 2,030 pieces of community sports infrastructure across the state by 2030. In practical terms this means new clubrooms, new lighting, new multi-sports spaces and safer facilities for grassroots clubs, including those relied on heavily in communities such as Ellenbrook, Bullsbrook and Upper Swan.
The Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund is one of the most important levers we have for supporting our local clubs. More than $20 million has been allocated to projects statewide that could be used for clubrooms, lighting upgrades or multipurpose courts. In electorates like mine, those upgrades are the difference between turning kids away or welcoming everyone in, and I constantly hear this from our clubs. Thankfully, demand is surging, especially in our growing communities like Swan Hills. Our families keep coming. They keep moving in. Young people keep signing up and our community identity is deeply entwined with strong local sport. The Sports and Entertainment Trust Bill 2025 will help to ensure that the Sports and Entertainment Trust can keep supporting those outcomes in a transparent, modern and future-focused way.
I particularly want to highlight the $10 million Community Use of School Sporting Facilities program. This is an absolutely brilliant program. As our suburbs grow, schools are becoming essential shared hubs of recreation. In places like Ellenbrook where population growth is rapid, unlocking those spaces for community use is commonsense. Investments into lighting upgrades, minor works and improved services stretch our local capacity to ensure that kids do not miss out simply because these clubs are full. Ellenbrook Secondary College was announced as one of the recipients of this funding to upgrade its volleyball courts, which the community will be able to use out of hours. Since becoming the member for Swan Hills, I have found it difficult to marry up the needs of the community with the available infrastructure. To have school facilities sitting there unused out of hours does not make sense when we have community and sporting groups that want to use them. I am very behind this new initiative.
Of course, good sport does not happen without good governance. As someone who has been on the administration of a footy club and also on the former Metro Central Regional Development Council, I know how much good governance matters. The Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport manages around 20 funding programs that invest in coaching development, officiating, inclusion, governance, event management and sport integrity.
(Member's time extended.)
Mrs Michelle Maynard: I remember when I rocked up to my first meeting of the Metro Central Regional Development Council and told the story of when my son enrolled in Auskick, I thought that running a football club was just organising for there to be a coffee van and everybody just showed up. I was nearly run out of the room by those who had been involved in junior footy clubs for a very, very long time. So much goes on behind the scenes to ensure that our junior sporting clubs adhere to the rules and get off the ground, and that everybody gets on the ground to do what they need to do. Having these funding programs that invest in coaching development, officiating, inclusion, governance and event management is so important for our volunteer-run clubs. I think that is lost on people a lot of the time. The people who show up to make these clubs work are all volunteers. They are not paid staff. These are not corporate operations. They are volunteers, often parents working several jobs, who give up their nights and their weekends to keep kids on the field. This bill strengthens the structures that support these volunteers.
One of the government's strongest priorities, which I am incredibly proud of, is inclusion. That approach deeply matters to not only me but also Swan Hills, where we have an incredibly diverse community and a large population of young families. The Sport and Recreation Inclusive Participation Grants program and the new $6 million election commitment that targets girls' participation in community sport will make a real difference. I am incredibly biassed when it comes to the Ellenbrook Dockers, but its girls' program is absolutely brilliant. To see those young women coming up through the sport, moving into senior footy and creating that camaraderie is brilliant and I am so proud. I just want to mention Chloe, who has been involved from the very beginning and done a brilliant job. When we invest in pathways, participation follows.
The government's recreation camps that have served more than 86,000 overnight stays and 144,000 activity participations last year are another way that we open the doors to all children, regardless of their background. I know that I harp on in this place about how I am an accountant and have been involved in business, but to me it always comes back to the dollars. Sport is not a fringe sector or an add-on. It is a sector that contributes enormously to the Western Australian economy. Our facilities attract events, those events attract visitors and those visitors support hospitality, tourism, transport and small business, which matters immensely to our economy and to our communities. When we invest in sport, we invest in the whole ecosystem that surrounds it—our small businesses, our contractors and our local jobs.
Telethon was held a few weekends ago but I want to mention it. As part of the amazing showcase of programs that work with children of all abilities in WA, I was so proud to see it feature the Ellenbrook Dockers Junior Footy Club and its Starkick all-abilities program. It showed kids in our program lacing up their boots. Some of these children and their families never thought that they would be able to play footy on a footy field, yet there they were, running if they were able, laughing, being pushed in their wheelchairs and being part of a football team, and it matters. It matters in a way that no bill title can fully capture. It was captured best by young Kennedy who said: "This is my club." The motto of Ellenbrook Dockers is "One Club, One Family". Dan Hilton and his amazing wife, Kaz, should be celebrated for the transformative work they have done by introducing Starkick to our community. Sport transforms lives. This legislation will help us to build a system that makes those moments possible.
I know that many members before me have talked about the nitty-gritty of this bill. They have talked about VenuesWest and its management, but sport is at the heart of this bill. Sport is about community and supporting the people of Western Australia. The Sports and Entertainment Trust Bill 2025 is about stronger governance, better transparency, modern financial structures and the capacity to keep pace with our growing communities. At heart, it is about kids, families, volunteers and building stronger, healthier and more connected communities across Swan Hills and Western Australia. I believe wholeheartedly that every child deserves the chance to play, every family deserves access to quality facilities, every volunteer deserves a system that backs them and every community deserves the opportunity to thrive. Together, the Cook Labor government will continue working to build a stronger Swan Hills and a stronger Western Australia. I am so proud to support this bill. I do not have an Ashes update for anybody because I have not checked the scores in a while. I hope Australia is doing okay.
I commend this bill to the house.
Mr Rhys Williams (Mandurah) (3:00 pm): I am really pleased to rise and make a contribution to debate on the Sports and Entertainment Trust Bill 2025. It has been really nice today and over the last few days to listen to members reflect on the importance of sport in their community and of sporting clubs that are helping to shape their communities and build a stronger sense of place right across Western Australia. Western Australians love their sport and entertainment. Like a lot of people in this house, I proudly grew up in Western Australia. I recall, particularly as a teenager, that the best of the sporting matches and music gigs—the big lineups—were over east and thinking it was a shame that we did not get those in WA. Whether it was the large showcasing events in either the sport or entertainment industry, we would often miss out in Western Australia. That is not the story of WA anymore. When we look around, we see a new vibrant culture happening across Western Australia. Some of that is to do with our really great infrastructure, but a lot of it is to do with a more ambitious approach to programming.
Criticism has been directed at the way the Cook Labor government invests in bringing these major events to WA. We know that entertainment and sport is a major economic diversification tool. It can help change the nature of our economy with the direct return we get from those events, but, more importantly, it helps increase return visitation and makes sure that Western Australia is seen across the country and internationally as a vibrant place to come. We have to start with bringing those events and activities into the state to help shape that culture.
I think we should be really proud of the way that Western Australia is transforming its reputation from being a place we would not necessarily see these major activities to now being a place where we see it all the time. In fact, on countless occasions, Western Australia has been the place over the past few years where these major events want to come first. I am pretty confident that teenagers coming up through school now will be able to see those big bands or major sporting teams that would not have previously come here and that they love so much in WA. We should be really proud of the investment that we are making into diversifying our economy and creating great infrastructure.
There has been so much talk about and criticism directed to Perth Park. The opportunity that Perth Park presents as another part of what Western Australia can offer as a showcase piece is being missed. It is great infrastructure. With the new amphitheatre for up to 12,000 people, this music venue can really showcase the best of not only WA's rich talent but also interstate and international bands who will perform there.
I obviously missed the point of the criticism of motorsport being at a great street circuit venue like Perth Park. Countries around the world are begging to host major motorsport events because they know the economic return they create. I really cannot wait for the time when Perth Park is completed and we celebrate it as a great bit of infrastructure in Western Australia. I dare say we will look back on this window like we look back at Optus Stadium and say, "Isn't it great that the fight was fought?" We had the fight, but is it not great that we have this great bit of infrastructure? It is really going to be a fantastic outcome.
I move to the bill, which will replace an act that came to fruition in 1986, a couple of years before I was born. When members think about how the nature of sport and events has changed in that time, it really makes a lot of sense that we are reviewing the terms of this legislation and giving VenuesWest, as it trades today, a better opportunity to promote what it is doing in terms of not just running the venues but also bringing in additional events. I love the provision that allows the minister to declare temporary venues because we have some outstanding natural spaces that would be great for running entertainment events. We have some great sporting facilities across our suburbs and our regions of WA that VenuesWest does not currently operate. This provision will enable those events to take place in those venues too. It would be great to hear more from members of this place about their ideas for events that could activate the places that they represent and how the provisions in this bill will allow major events to happen right across WA. I think it is fantastic. A contemporary approach to governance with a skills-based board makes a lot of sense. I acknowledge the authors of this new bill; it is fitting.
As other members have done, I take the opportunity to reflect a little bit on what sport means to my community in Mandurah. Sport is a massive part of the Mandurah community. We are very fortunate in Mandurah that we have some very successful local community clubs. We have really brilliant local infrastructure. I have seen the member for Rockingham in Mandurah several times at both entertainment and sporting venues. Like Rockingham, Mandurah has great venues where sporting events can take place. It is worth noting that just like the fierce rivalry that we are seeing in the Ashes at the moment, another thing that the Rockingham and Mandurah communities share is a fierce rivalry. People who are not from Mandurah or Rockingham would not understand this. Like the Fremantle Dockers versus the West Coast Eagles, when Mandurah and Rockingham are playing in any sport, there is a fierce rivalry.
I want to take the opportunity while the Acting Speaker (Mrs Magenta Marshall) is in the chair to point out a couple of examples of really successful Mandurah sporting clubs this year! Of course, the Acting Speaker will recall, as she spoke about in her contribution, that her beloved basketball team the Rockingham Flames went down in the semis to the Mandurah Magic women's team; they got pumped actually! Well done to the Mandurah Magic women's team! The Acting Speaker will recall that in the Peel Football and Netball League, the South Mandurah footy club, my local team, beat Rockingham not just in the league team but also in the reserves as well. That is unfortunate for the Acting Speaker. We came up short this time only when the Mandurah Pirates Rugby Union Football Club went down to the Rockingham team.
The Acting Speaker (Mrs Magenta Marshall): Hear; hear!
Mr Rhys Williams: That was a bit unfortunate, but I am confident we will take them next year! Along with having a lot of success on the track, particularly against our fierce rivals in Rockingham, we have also seen a lot of success in Mandurah's investment into sport over the last little while.
I want to talk particularly about Peel Health Campus. By the way, did members know Mandurah is getting a brand-new six-storey hospital? Construction will be starting next year and it will be finished by 2029. The people of Mandurah are very excited about that. They are also excited about the "Lisa Munday Bridge", which is looking really good and will be open very shortly. There is so much infrastructure happening in Mandurah at the moment that it is really hard to know where to turn, but one project that has not started yet but will be a real game changer for a portion of the community is the new Mandarah netball facility. When construction is finished, it will replace netball courts that were constructed in 1967. The Western Australian Sports Centre Trust Act 1986 was written a couple of years before I was born, and I believe the Mandurah netball facility was built a couple of years after the member for Perth was born. He missed it! It is all right; welcome to the party!
Mr John Carey: I'm only 30!
Mr Rhys Williams: That is what you would have us believe!
These netball courts were built in 1967 at a time when 1,200 people were living in Mandurah. Today there are 100,000 people living in Mandurah. That is a pretty amazing change, yet it has the same netball courts. There are eight courts. They were the bane of my existence in my previous role as mayor, I have to say, because these courts were consistently failing and the investment that would have been required to replace this infrastructure on the current facility was really going to be a waste of money because these facilities were never going to be up to scratch.
Along with the member for Dawesville over the course of the election campaign, we made it one of our major priorities to secure funding for new netball facilities for the more than 1,200 people in Mandurah—primarily girls and women—who are playing netball. I am really proud to say alongside the member for Dawesville that we invested $20 million into a new netball facility.
Mrs Lisa Munday: We'll call it the Lisa Munday netball facility.
Mr Rhys Williams: I knew she would want that.
We invested in that for a range of up to 18 courts. This is really going to change the game for local people playing netball. Not only is it going to mean that they can hold regional carnivals at these netball courts, which they are currently precluded from doing, but they are going to have state-of-the-art facilities as well. It is a $20 million investment by the Cook Labor government. The City of Mandurah will be joining this facility to a shared-use facility for netball, tennis, pickleball and the like and it will manage the project.
There has been some discussion about where the Mandurah netball facility will be delivered. As members can imagine, in a place like Mandurah that has grown rapidly, there are not a lot of options for land use. Unusually, we were able to secure the election commitment without having finalised the location. I am really pleased to announce today, on behalf of the member for Dawesville and myself, that the Mandurah netball facility will be built on the Mandurah education and training campus alongside the TAFE and John Tonkin College. This is a really great venue. Work is progressing towards getting this project delivered on that site. There are environmental assessments and all those processes underway to finalise this, but once that is out of the way and construction starts, it will be a quick turnaround to see this facility delivered for the people of Mandurah.
Netball is not a sport I have had a lot of experience in playing. I think I was around about 21 when my mate and I, who were both single at the time, thought that mixed netball would be a great way to meet people. We joined a mixed netball team and we thought, "This is going to be great. We're going to get along here and we are going to meet some great people and hopefully there is an opportunity to maybe go out for a drink afterwards as well." We got through half a game and we realised two things. One, we were useless at netball and it was not our game, and two, given our level of skill it was going to be very unsuccessful in any other regard so we gave up after one game and moved on. But I am really pleased that other people will have the opportunity to play netball and I wish them all the best.
On a serious note, I give a really big congratulations to the Mandurah Netball Association, ably led by president Leah Mansfield. Its advocacy in getting this project off the ground and getting a commitment has really been just remarkable. It has done such a fantastic job with its advocacy. It deserves this $20 million commitment by the Cook Labor government. The member for Dawesville and I are so excited about working alongside it to deliver this project.
In addition to the netball facilities, we are also really proud to secure a pretty significant commitment for the expansion of basketball so that our teams can continue to thrive and particularly focus every chance they get on smashing the Rockingham Flames. We were able to commit $6 million to two new show courts at the Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre. Now that I think about it, it might be three new show courts at the Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre. There will be $6 million provided by the Cook Labor government, with additional funds supported by the City of Mandurah and by the Albanese federal Labor government. It is a project being contributed to by all three levels of government and it will deliver great outcomes for the booming sport that is basketball in Mandurah and right across Western Australia. It is not just a sport; it is a subculture. We can see basketball coming up through our schools as a major sport, so it is great that we are going to have such great facilities in Mandurah to join what is already a pretty impressive suite of infrastructure there.
There are some smaller commitments of more than $1 million to some of our really great clubs. I am proud to be the patron of the Dudley Park Bowling and Recreation Club. I have never been a patron of the bowling club before, but I am really proud to be. I will tell members a couple of things about the Dudley Park Bowling and Recreation Club. It does unbelievably cheap pints. It is also a vibrant club that understands that it is a community building place. It is not just for playing bowls; it is for camaraderie, support and bringing joy to people's lives, as is, I have to say, the Mandurah Bowling Club, which is just around the corner. It is a club with a really strong history and its attention to good governance and participation in the sport has been something I have been grateful for as a member of the Mandurah community for a long time. I want to take the opportunity while speaking on the Mandurah Bowling Club to acknowledge Mark Simpson, who represented Australia at the 2025 Scottish International Open and did very well. I congratulate Mark on his participation representing Mandurah and Australia in a world tournament for bowling. It was a testament to him to see such great results, so congratulations.
I spent some time the other day with Little Athletics WA. We had the opportunity to give the Mandurah Cricket Club and the Mandurah Pirates Rugby Union Football Club some new equipment. Hopefully, the $50,000 investment that we made into the club will see it come back just a little stronger next year so it can take out that top prize. We invested in some lighting upgrades to support the Peel Thunder Football Club and the Mandurah Mustangs Junior Football Club. Both are really great clubs with long, proud histories.
There were a couple of clubs that I was really excited about contributing to because I love them. Firstly, there is the Mandurah Board Riders Club. Mandurah has some really great surf breaks. I am fortunate enough to be married to a surfer. Occasionally, I will get out and flounder around pretending I am a surfer myself. The Mandurah Board Riders Club is doing some really great work in holding local competitions and giving mostly young people the chance to get out on the water. Surfing is a great way for a person to not only build skills but also look after their wellness. I want to acknowledge the Mandurah Board Riders Club. We were able to give it $15,000 to go towards the great work it does. I also want to acknowledge the Mandurah Triathlon Club. As members know, triathlon clubs are really great community building clubs. They build this beautiful culture of individual performance and team camaraderie at the same time. I was really pleased that I could support these two clubs through election commitments and I want to acknowledge them for the great work they are doing. I look forward to continuing to be involved with these clubs.
I just want to come back to the Mandurah Sports Awards, which is an event held in Mandurah every single year. It was held not that long ago. This is an opportunity for me to reflect, as I finish up, on the Mandurah Sports Awards and congratulate the club of the year, the mighty Mandurah Bowling Club, for the great work it is doing. Congratulations to the sportsperson of the year, Rebekah Weller, for open water swimming. I was able to sponsor the category of the masters sportsperson of the year this year. I want to congratulate the winner of that category, Symonne Kennedy, who competes internationally in wakeboarding. Congratulations, Symonne, on your great work.
Like the members for Swan Hills and Collie–Preston—we may be the only two—I am a really proud West Coast Eagles supporter, so I want to take the opportunity as we are in the off season to wish my team a really nice off season and that they come back a little stronger next year.
Mr Daniel Pastorelli interjected.
Mr Rhys Williams: Somebody has to speak up for them because they have been left out of the conversation in this Parliament over the last little while. May we see a more equal level of support from this house towards the other Western Australian team over the course of the next year's activity.
We have the Ashes going on. I have been able to talk about the great rivalry between Mandurah and Rockingham, but, of course, the big event of the year in sport that I would like to finish on by acknowledging is yesterday's wheelchair basketball tournament. I believe that the great Western Australian Labor Party came up as winners once again.
I heard a little rumour somewhere. Maybe the member for Landsdale can help me. How many times has the Liberal Party won the wheelchair basketball?
Mr Daniel Pastorelli: I checked the records.
Mr Rhys Williams: Yes?
Mr Daniel Pastorelli: Zero.
Mr Rhys Williams: Zero! Well done to the WA Labor team.
Ms Libby Mettam: We have other priorities!
Mr Rhys Williams: I am pleased to hear that.
Can I acknowledge our participants in this year's wheelchair basketball? I was not there; maybe the result would not have been as good if that had been the case. I acknowledge the captain of the team, the member for Dawesville. Clearly, she led the team with the same tenacity with which she advocates for her community. There was no way that we were going to lose with her as the captain. Congratulations to the key strategist, the member for Landsdale, who informed me that at around half-time, they managed to find a strategy of two players in defence and two players in offence, and it was about then that they started winning. I am glad he is a better strategist for the government than he is in wheelchair basketball. Congratulations also to the member for Mount Lawley, who I believe took the winning shot; and Hon Ayor Makur Chuot from the other place, who made up the team and I believe was a really important contributor.
Mr Liam Staltari: She carried the team!
Mr Rhys Williams: She carried the team. Congratulations and may we continue to see great success by the WA Labor wheelchair basketball team.
Ms Emily Hamilton (Joondalup—Parliamentary Secretary) (3:20 pm): I rise today to support the Sports and Entertainment Trust Bill 2025, which marks an important and long-overdue step towards modernising and strengthening the governance of Western Australia's major sporting and entertainment venues. The bill is about more than just administrative change. It is about ensuring that the investments we make in sporting infrastructure that touch the lives of hundreds of thousands of Western Australians are managed responsibly, strategically and sustainably so they continue delivering benefits for decades to come.
Sport is part of our identity in this state. I have heard many different codes mentioned throughout this debate. Sport binds Western Australians together. It gives young people purpose, families connection and communities pride. It is woven into our history and it will be a defining part of our future. This bill recognises sport's significance and will ensure that we have the governance structures necessary to support our sporting ecosystem, from the grassroots clubs through to the elite national competitions and major international events. There is something unique about the relationship Western Australians have with sport. Whether it is a Saturday morning Auskick session, a twilight netball competition, a dip at the local pool or cheering on the Wildcats, the Glory or the Fever, sport is present in our everyday lives. We know that more than 1.5 million Western Australians participate in organised or recreational sport every year, and millions more engage with it through coaching, volunteering, spectating or attending major events.
We have seen extraordinary growth in this space. The old idea that WA stands for "Wait Awhile" is firmly behind us. Under successive Labor governments, our state has delivered some of the biggest sporting events in the world. From the AFL Grand Final to international football matches, world title boxing and even the spectacular WWE wrestling, it has been an exciting calendar of sport events that have filled stadiums and captured global attention. The infrastructure required to host these events and the community-level programs that feed into them must be managed with clarity and modern governance. That is precisely what this bill will deliver.
As the member for Joondalup, I represent a region that has transformed dramatically over the past three decades. Joondalup is no longer the spot at the end of the freeway located in the outer suburbs; it is a major metropolitan centre in its own right. I represent one of the fastest growing and most dynamic regions in Western Australia, and Joondalup has truly cemented its place as the second CBD of Perth. It is a hub of commerce, education, health and recreation. With world-class institutions like Edith Cowan University, Joondalup Health Campus, the Western Australia Police Academy, major retail centres, our new Ocean Reef Marina, a thriving hospitality and small business sector, and public transport connections extending further north into our growing suburbs, Joondalup is a regional powerhouse. As the population of our northern corridor expands, so too does the demand for high-quality sporting and recreation facilities. Our community is made up of families, retirees, young professionals, students and new migrants, all of whom rely on sporting infrastructure to stay connected, active and healthy.
That is why the governance of facilities like Arena Joondalup is so essential. It sits in the heart of our northern corridor and is an asset that is integral to our community identity. For more than 30 years, Arena Joondalup has served as a community anchor. It has been a place for families to learn to swim; children to start their first sport; teams to train and compete; aspiring athletes to pursue excellence; adults to exercise, play and build friendships; and seniors to stay active and connected. It is home to the mighty Joondalup Wolves basketball club, the Joondalup Netball Association, the Joondalup Sports Club, the Joondalup Lakers Hockey Club, the Joondalup Brothers Rugby League Club and, of course, the West Perth Football Club. These clubs give our region its heartbeat. They bring life, movement and vibrancy to our community and they are part of our story. Yet, despite the scale, usage and importance of Arena Joondalup, the legislation governing its operation has never been updated and is unchanged since 1990, four years before the arena even opened its doors. This bill will bring us up to date. It will replace the outdated structures with a modern trust that reflects current expectations of accountability, financial sustainability and community benefit.
Our government understands that thriving communities need strong foundations. Sport is not optional; it is essential. In Joondalup, we have invested heavily to meet the needs of our growing region. Over the last two terms, we have delivered more than $4.2 million in targeted upgrades at Arena Joondalup alone. These improvements include the redevelopment of the Joondalup Sports Club, upgraded toilet and change room facilities for netball and hockey, and lighting upgrades to support the West Australian Football League and WAFL Women's competitions. These upgrades support our clubs, improve accessibility for families and create more opportunities for participation across all ages. But this is only the beginning. I am incredibly proud of our commitment to deliver a brand-new 10-lane indoor pool at Arena Joondalup—an investment that will transform aquatic services in our region. This is not simply a refurbishment; this is a complete revitalisation of aquatic capability at the arena. It is under construction and will create capacity for more learn-to-swim programs, safer access for people with mobility needs and better facilities for athletes and families. Given the importance of swimming in a coastal community like ours, this investment will save lives while supporting healthy lifestyles.
Basketball, as we know, is one of the fastest growing sports in the region and our local club, the much-loved Joondalup Wolves, has shown tremendous leadership in growing participation for boys, girls, men and women. To support this rapidly growing basketball family in the northern suburbs, most recently we have delivered more than $2 million in upgrades to spectator areas, new electronic school boards and a new vehicle. These investments strengthen the Wolves' capacity to deliver programs, support its NBL1 success and connect more young people to sport. I will continue to advocate for further investment in this sport and the delivery of even more court infrastructure to get our kids active. That is why I have been working with local schools to upgrade and activate their court facilities and why our government is pursuing reforms to make it easier for schools to share these facilities with the broader community.
At the last election, I made a commitment to continue to strengthen sporting infrastructure across Joondalup. This commitment remains as strong today as it was then, three terms ago. On top of that I have committed to deliver upgrades at the Joondalup Sports Association for change rooms and lighting; upgrades at the Joondalup Sports Club; and support for our Ocean Ridge Amateur Football Club and Ocean Ridge Junior Football Club, our Ocean Ridge Cricket Club, the Edgewater Woodvale Junior Football Club, the Joondalup Lakers Hockey Club, the Joondalup Kinross Junior Football Club, the Joondalup Giants Rugby League Club, the Joondalup Athletics Centre, the Joondalup Netball Association and the Ocean Ridge Tennis Club. This is on top of other commitments supporting the growth of sport in our community. We are seeing a new Belridge Secondary College sports hall, upgrades to Edgewater Primary School to cover its courts, upgrades to playground and shade facilities at Connolly Primary School, upgrades for court resurfacing at Eddystone Primary School and Heathridge Primary School, and a new early years playground at Beaumaris Primary School. These are just some of the commitments that are being delivered and strengthening grassroots sport in every corner of my electorate.
I also want to take this opportunity to reaffirm my strong support for the redevelopment of Heathridge Park, an important local precinct that serves multiple clubs and hundreds of families every year. This project is backed by the state government, and now the federal government as well. I will continue to work closely with the City of Joondalup as I hope it begins to finalise and deliver a modern facility that meets the needs of local clubs, strengthens community access and supports the next generation of players.
Joondalup is also home to one of the most exciting recreation projects in the state: the new Yalbunullup Urban Mountain Bike Trails. Opened just last year, this is the largest urban mountain bike trail network in Perth, yet the location is immersed in nature and we can truly forget that we are in the heart of Perth's second CBD. There are new seven-kilometre-long, high-quality trails across multiple difficulty levels, a yarning circle, interpretive signage, public amenities and an extended car park, and it was designed with long-term environmental sustainability at the forefront. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the open day onsite last December and I have since spent some time on the trails myself. Thanks to Dave and the team from Bike Force Joondalup, who brought down the bikes for us to have a spin. I did use an electric bike, so I know that some might consider that cheating, but it was still a wonderful opportunity to engage with the mountain bike trails located at Yellagonga Regional Park.
The relevance of highlighting this amazing project is that the bill will empower VenuesWest to establish temporary sporting precincts for major events, creating opportunities for Joondalup to host mountain bike events that could draw hundreds of participants and spectators and support the growth of businesses in our local city centre. I want to place on record my thanks to the Northern Beaches Cycling Club for its involvement in bringing this project to life.
If I could say only one thing in this contribution, it would be, of course, to recognise that our sporting community does not function without its volunteers. Every club, competition, training session, sausage sizzle fundraising event at Bunnings, scoreboard and junior fixture relies on volunteers. Their contribution is immeasurable. This bill will support them by ensuring that the venues they rely on are governed effectively and sustainably. Without volunteers, grassroots sport collapses, but with them, everything is possible. I thank each and every volunteer across the Joondalup electorate and Western Australia.
The Sports and Entertainment Trust Bill will strengthen financial oversight, governance structures, risk management, precinct planning, community consultation and overall accountability. The modern governance framework will ensure that our major venues that are used by thousands of families weekly are safe, efficient, financially sustainable and responsive to community needs. It will allow VenuesWest to operate more commercially when appropriate, while still maintaining its public mandate to support recreation, participation and community health. It will also enable greater flexibility to host events, partner with industry and deliver programs that respond to emerging trends in sport, fitness and recreation.
This bill will strengthen the way we care for and operate some of the state's most important assets. It is practical, responsible and forward looking. The bill aligns with our government's strong record of investing in sporting infrastructure. It will support those volunteers I mentioned, strengthen our community cohesion, boost economic activity and enhance the wellbeing of people of all ages. It will ensure that facilities like Arena Joondalup that are central to the identity of Perth's northern corridor continue to serve our growing population effectively.
Joondalup is Perth's second CBD and is a place of energy, innovation and community spirit. Our people deserve the very best infrastructure, and this bill will help to deliver it. With that, I commend the bill to the house.
Mr Frank Paolino (Mount Lawley) (3:32 pm): It is a great pleasure to stand to speak on the last day of the year about—
A member interjected.
Mr Frank Paolino: The member for Perth is always very encouraging to the newly elected members of the chamber and I thank him for his very sincere contribution, which he always provides.
As I was saying before I was insanely interrupted, it gives me great pleasure to speak on the Sports and Entertainment Trust Bill 2025 in my last contribution for 2025. The Western Australian Sports Centre Trust, trading as VenuesWest, owns and manages some of Western Australia's most significant sport and entertainment venues on behalf of the state government under the powers granted to it in the Western Australian Sports Centre Trust Act 1986, which, when it commenced operation, provided a governance framework for the oversight of Western Australia's major state-owned sporting facilities. Since then, VenuesWest's portfolio has experienced significant growth and diversification, from a single facility in Mount Claremont to 14 venues, including the iconic Optus Stadium, RAC Arena and HBF Park. The act has not been significantly amended since it came into force 37 years ago and its provisions are no longer contemporary. Based on recommendations made following comprehensive reviews of the act in 2014, 2015 and 2018, the Sports and Entertainment Trust Bill 2025 will repeal and replace the outdated act.
It will create the Sports and Entertainment Trust and provide the new trust with a clear and contemporary framework within which it can deliver outcomes. The trust will be empowered to conduct the commercial, retail and promotional activities essential to optimise the use of venues and precincts, delivering sport, recreation and entertainment outcomes for Western Australia and Western Australians, and world-class training competition venues for high-performance sport.
Since we are in the mood to reflect on the past, let me give members a brief snapshot of some of the key events of 1986. In February 1986, the incumbent Labor Party was re-elected as the state government and Ernie Bridge was subsequently appointed to cabinet, becoming the first Aboriginal person to serve as a cabinet minister in the state. The Augusta whale rescue happened when 114 false killer whales stranded themselves on Augusta's main beach. Hundreds of volunteers worked for 48 hours to save 96 of them by guiding them back to sea in a widely publicised event that is now commemorated at the site. I will circle back to Whiteman Park in just a moment, but the large regional park north of Perth officially opened on 21 September. For those who are interested, the Cemeteries Act was revised to stipulate that new grants for burial plots would have a tenure of 25 years. The United Nations proclaimed 1986 the International Year of Peace. Australia celebrated that by circulating a special $1 coin with a design featuring a peace dove. Also in 1986, Pope John Paul II visited Perth and held a mass for over 70,000 people at Belmont Park Racecourse. The new separate international airport terminal opened in October 1986 to alleviate congestion at the old building and handle more traffic. I will circle back to that as well in just a moment. The government began a review of the 1986 draft policy for the Perth central area to guide future development of the city centre. Fremantle and Western Australia were preparing to host the America's Cup. The Australia Act 1986, which was landmark legislation, came into effect on 3 March and granted Australia full legal independence from the United Kingdom, removing the UK Parliament's ability to legislate, with effect, in Australia and its states. In the Parliament of Western Australia, Hon Keith Wilson brought into the house the Western Australian Sports Centre Trust Bill. I went back and looked at Hansard. He had this to say:
The purpose of this Bill is to establish a trust to manage the $22 million Western Australian Sports Centre being constructed at McGillivray Oval, and any other State Government sports facilities that from time to time it may be required to manage.
Western Australia has a proud tradition of sporting achievement, and Governments have a legitimate role in providing or assisting to provide a wide range of facilities that will both encourage mass participation and the achievement of excellence in sport.
He also said:
The Western Australian Sports Centre is a world standard complex which will enable the conduct of major events as well as provide for high-level training, sports education, sports medicine, and accommodation for the Western Australian Institute of Sport, the Sports Federation, and a sports museum. It has received strong support from many State sporting associations.
Fast-forward to 2025 and here we are again discussing this very important piece of legislation that, as I said before, looks after 14 very important and significant venues in the state that have hosted some significant events recently. I will name a few: Kylie Minogue, Hozier, Katy Perry, Cyndi Lauper at RAC Arena, HSBC Rugby Sevens, the two CommBank Matilda friendlies at HBF Park, an AFL Indigenous All Stars match, the Socceroos FIFA World Cup qualifier, the second State of Origin game, and the British and Irish Lions tour at Optus Stadium, to name a few.
Of course, everybody knows that I love sports, but everybody also knows that I love entertainment. Entertainment is important for our state and is something very dear to my heart. We have seen some incredible concerts over the years in our facilities, including Coldplay in recent times. Of course, we also have the plan for Perth Park—a very important piece of infrastructure that is going to propel us into the future of entertainment precincts in this state. I know that many are against it; I know there is a certain section of this chamber that is against Perth Park. They are over there—the section over there is against Perth Park!
I just want to tell a little story. When I was looking at Perth Park and seeing how it was developing, I was consulting quite regularly with the member for Landsdale, who I acknowledge is very forthcoming. The "moan-and-groan brigade" over there has already started! But the member for Landsdale was very open and very willing to be consultative and to provide information about it.
Several members interjected.
Mr Frank Paolino: Thank you, member. I love talking to you, too.
Mr John Carey: The member for Kalamunda claims our election!
Mr Frank Paolino: That is right! Anyway, colleagues, the floor is mine!
Several members interjected.
Mr Frank Paolino: Colleagues, the lights are on me! When the lights are on you, the lights are on you; it is your turn. It is my turn at the moment, so the lights are on me!
Anyway, as I was saying, when I was thinking about Perth Park and what is going to happen there with the 12,000 seat amphitheatre, I recalled this wonderful time of the year that we all love to call Christmas. Here is our opportunity to have our very own Carols in the Domain or our own Sidney Myer Music Bowl. I made my television debut singing at the Lord Mayor's Christmas Carols of 1996 at the Brisbane Riverstage in the City Botanic Gardens, and it was a treat.
Several members interjected.
Mr Frank Paolino: Let me just tell members. There was the late Rob Guest from Phantom of the Opera; Monica Trapaga from Play School; kids' entertainer Peter Coombes; Rob Brough from Family Feud—which was then at the pinnacle of its popularity—as master of ceremonies; and here comes the little Italian–Australian from Stafford Heights in Singing with the Stars!
Mr Daniel Pastorelli: How did it go?
Mr Frank Paolino: It was tremendous!
Mrs Michelle Maynard: Show us!
Mr Frank Paolino: No; the member will have to do her own research!
It was a tremendous experience. It was televised right across the state of Queensland.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Who was Premier in Queensland? Was it Joh Bjelke-Petersen?
Mr Frank Paolino: No; he was almost in jail by that time, together with the majority of the National Party—the proven most corrupt political party in the nation at that time over there, member for Central Wheatbelt! This is your time to just settle down.
But I will say that at that time the Lord Mayor of Brisbane was Labor Lord Mayor Jim Soorley. He did a great job of developing Brisbane and turning it into what he used to call, if I am not mistaken, a "new world city". We have here a wonderful opportunity to bring a brand-new entertainment precinct into Perth and WA.
It was around that time, when I was 16—sorry, I lie, I was 15; I will correct the record—when one of the other key entertainment moments of my childhood happened, the Gold Coast Indy 300. I remember telling this to my good friend the member for Midland. This was before September 11, and we used to find ways to get into the Indy 300. Literally millions of people would come from all over the country to enjoy the Indy 300. It was four days of pure entertainment on the Gold Coast. The whole state would stop for the Indy 300. It was quite remarkable.
The member for Landsdale and the government got all this flak about the Motorplex, Perth Park and Burswood Park from a certain section of the chamber: "Oh, it's terrible!"
Mr Rhys Williams interjected.
Mr Frank Paolino: The section over there, member for Mandurah!
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Who's your federal member?
Mr Frank Paolino: For the federal member, I will say this: we are all about Western Australians and we are all about growing this state.
Several members interjected.
Mr Frank Paolino: No, I am not taking your interjections.
Funnily enough, in late October, the Gold Coast 500 came up on my phone and I sent it to the member for Landsdale.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Did you send it to the member for Perth?
Mr Frank Paolino: No; I will tell the member for Perth in person when I see him. I will quote from the Gold Coast Bulletin:
Business leaders want the state government to lock in Queensland's largest annual event until 2032, with the GC500 pumping more than $60m into local coffers.
I love the headline; I really do love the headline: "Vroom to grow: Why state's biggest event must stick around".
I have just been given a note that I must conclude, so to comply with the rules and restrictions imposed on me by the Whip—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
Mr Frank Paolino: No-one tells me to sit down and shut up, young fellow!
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
Mr Frank Paolino: No, he does not. There is a line, and you tend to cross it every single day!
Before I conclude, I want to say this to everybody in this chamber, to everybody in Western Australia and certainly to everybody across the Mount Lawley electorate: I—
Mr Liam Staltari interjected.
Mr Frank Paolino: I must tell the member for Carine: if there was ever a dull, monotone type of voice, it is the member for Carine's voice! All we hear is a drone, so I will start again.
Mr Liam Staltari: P-plate Frank.
Mr Frank Paolino: If anyone has P-plates, mate, it is you!
I will start again. All Western Australians can see the interjections that are happening here; it is on the record, but I want to say this. We are in 2025. We have a wonderful legacy and record of holding world-class events in this state. Not long ago I was international, where I met with several key people who really are personalities and very big players on the international stage, and let me tell members: they knew where Perth was. They knew what Western Australia can achieve and they are champing at the bit to come here and for us to host events here. Western Australians want events here. They want events that are entertaining and they want events that are contemporary. It is only right and fitting that we have a bill that reflects that and that will enable us to be able to work, not only in Perth, but right across Western Australia.
The Speaker: Would you like an extension?
Mr Frank Paolino: May I have a small extension, Mr Speaker?
(Member's time extended.)
Mr Frank Paolino: Perth Airport is growing, which means that we want people to come here. A film studio precinct is opening in Whiteman Park that will bring in new possibilities and new industries, which means more entertainment that will put Western Australia even more on the international stage. It is my great pleasure to be part of a Cook Labor government that can deliver and achieve all this.
With that said, to everybody in this chamber, as I said before, and right across the state, particularly in the Mount Lawley electorate, I take this opportunity to say thank you very much for the trust that you have put in me to represent you in this Parliament. I have not taken it for granted. I hope that this holiday season will be filled with joy, happiness and love for you, your families and your friends. May 2026 be a prosperous, safe and successful year for you all.
I commend this bill to the house.
Debate adjourned, on motion by Mr David Michael (Leader of the House).
