Wednesday, 8 June 2022

Commonwealth Games

Ms VALLENCE (Evelyn) (19:21): (6414) The matter I raise is for the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, and the action I seek is that he facilitate the inclusion of International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) target shooting in the 2026 Commonwealth Games and that these sport competitions be held in the Yarra Valley region at the competition-grade facilities in Yering.

Target shooting is a truly inclusive sport that has both women and men competing equally as well as para athletes. It has been a Commonwealth Games sport on 13 occasions. Australia has claimed 175 medals in this sport during this time, more than any other nation. Indeed sport shooting has Australia’s fourth-highest Commonwealth Games tally for an individual sport, posing a very promising prospect for more Aussie medals in 2026. I have visited the Yering complex, the home of Melbourne Gun Club (MGC), where I have had the privilege of watching athletes in this safe, inclusive and high-performance sport who have competed at Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and world cups. The Melbourne Gun Club, Target Rifle Victoria (TRV), the clay target association and Shooting Australia are all advocating for the inclusion of competitive target shooting in the 2026 Commonwealth Games, and the Yarra Ranges council is advocating for the competition be hosted at the Yering facility.

Mr Wynne interjected.

Ms VALLENCE: Yering—yes, Minister. The 2026 Commonwealth Games would not be truly regional games if they did not give equal opportunity to all Victorian regions, including the Yarra Valley. Given the excellent facilities already existing at Yering, it makes sense to enable this opportunity for our region. This would provide a much-needed economic boost and support tourism in our region to recover and rebuild. Yering hosted sport shooting at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and since that time has had extensive upgrades to not only the sporting infrastructure there but the disabled access, including disabled toilets.

Whilst Yarra Ranges has unfortunately been overlooked by the Andrews Labor government as a preferred regional hub, it appears the games guidelines specify that where sports cannot be accommodated in a designated hub they can be held in other locations, and Yering is the only complex in Victoria that meets the Commonwealth Games criteria for ISSF target shooting. MGC is working together with TRV to further develop the site because TRV has identified the Yering site as its preferred location to invest the $1 million in state funding it has been allocated for a state facility. This would be ideal for the 2026 games, adding an indoor facility, and would also host offices for the Australian Institute of Sport and the Victorian Institute of Sport. I am informed the process to expedite this project is already underway with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Port Phillip region planning and approvals and DELWP direct leasing and is supported by the Yarra Ranges council. I would like to thank the volunteer committee of Melbourne Gun Club, including Dallas Ball, Craig Henwood and Ben Reed, who work hard to support women and men of all ages and abilities competing in this sport.