Wednesday, 28 May 2025

Budget 2025–26

Sarah CONNOLLY (Laverton) (10:49): The Victorian state budget really delivered for our local sporting clubs this year, and I am particularly excited that Western Suburbs Soccer Club will be receiving $70,000 in this year’s state budget to purchase and install a brand new electronic scoreboard at Ralph Reserve, something they have been asking me for for some time. This builds on previous commitments made by our government to sporting clubs in the Laverton electorate, including $300,000 for Truganina Thunder Football Club and also the $85,000 we funded in last year’s state budget for Sunshine Heights Cricket Club, whose brand new electronic scoreboard, I might mention, is now underway. Like these clubs, Western Suburbs Soccer Club is home to hundreds of dedicated locals from Sunshine West and beyond, some of whom have been involved in this club for many, many decades. They are a passionate bunch of westies who have been advocating for this scoreboard for many years now, since I have been elected as their local member, and I am so glad that this year we were finally able to deliver the funding.

Of course they are not the only club who will be benefiting from the state government investment. I am very pleased to see that Brimbank City Council is also going to receive $300,000 from our government’s Local Sports Infrastructure Fund for the redevelopment of Selwyn Park reserve in Albion, delivering much-needed upgrades for the tennis courts and providing additional hardcourts to allow for more sports to be played there. These two initiatives are great examples of how this government is delivering for folks in the Laverton electorate.