Thursday, 9 March 2023

North-Eastern Metropolitan Region

Matthew BACH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:40): (80) On Sunday my daughters and I had a great day back at the Vermont footy and netball club. It was the club’s season launch, and it was great to be back there with president Danny Ross and a huge crowd. It is a thriving club. Historically the footy club is the most successful suburban football club in the whole country. They have got great facilities, but there is one big problem with the club, and that is the lights. I have spoken in this place before about the fact that when the council put up the current lights – surprise, surprise – they stuffed it up and put in globes that are not strong enough to allow night footy. The club, because of the incredible culture there, has a burgeoning youth program and also a burgeoning women’s program. Danny and his board want the women’s teams to be able to play in prime time after the blokes, but they cannot do it at the moment because they cannot play in the dark. The council messed it up. The former member for Forest Hill and I made a major announcement before the election to say we will fund $150,000 worth of new lights. My question to the Minister for Community Sport is: will you match that in the upcoming budget?