Wednesday, 23 September 2026

 John MULLAHY (Glen Waverley) (19:03): (1850) My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Community Sport, and the action I seek is for the minister to update the house on how the Victorian government is supporting local sporting clubs and investing in modern, inclusive facilities across the Glen Waverley district. Local sport is such an important part of our community. Our clubs give children and families a place to come together, stay active and build lasting connections. They also rely heavily on volunteers who give up their time every week to coach, organise, maintain facilities and keep their clubs running. I want to acknowledge and thank all those volunteers for everything that they do.

I am proud to be part of a Carroll government that backs community sport and the local clubs that bring our community together. That means making sure our clubs have the facilities they need to grow and creating more opportunities for women and girls to participate. In Vermont we have invested in upgrades at Vermont Reserve, supporting the Vermont Eagles football and netball club and the Vermont Cricket Club. This investment has delivered oval upgrades, new LED lighting and a new pavilion, including improved facilities to support female participation. At Brandon Park Reserve, we have supported a new pavilion and an upgraded car park for Mazenod Football Club and the Mulgrave Wheelers Hill Cricket Club, including female-friendly change rooms, a referees room, a social space, public amenities and improved spectator viewing. This year’s budget also invests $100,000 to deliver an LED scoreboard upgrade at Brandon Park Reserve, making these local facilities even better.

At Central Reserve we are supporting the resurfacing of the south oval for the Mazenod Panthers and the Mazenod Old Collegians Football Club, helping ensure the oval remains a quality playing surface for local players and families. These investments are about more than bricks and mortar. They are about giving local clubs the facilities they need to thrive, encouraging more women and girls and people with additional needs to get involved, and creating welcoming spaces where families can spend time together and be part of their local community.

Of course we cannot talk about community sport without talking about basketball. It is hugely popular with children and young people in our community, and participation continues to grow. The Nunawading Basketball Centre in my electorate has served local families for decades. It is a facility where generations of children have discovered basketball, made friends and been part of a team. But the centre is now at capacity, and the demand for courts continues to grow. The area of the south-east of Melbourne has actually got the highest density of basketball participation in the whole wide world. This highlights the importance of continuing to invest in sporting facilities that keep pace with our growing community and give more local children the opportunity to participate while providing better facilities for women and girls, families and the broader community. I look forward to the minister’s response.