Wednesday, 18 October 2023

Shepparton sports and events centre

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (17:48): (514) My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Regional Development, and it concerns the continued lack of funding for the Shepparton sports and events centre. The action that I seek is for the minister to provide the state government’s funding share of $20 million towards the total $60 million redevelopment of the Shepparton sports and events stadium. The Shepparton Sports City precinct is home to world-class facilities for a range of different sports, with many facilities being of such high standard that Shepparton regularly hosts national and international sporting events. However, the final component of the precinct is the Shepparton sports and events centre, which remains unfunded.

The current 1970s stadium building is past its use-by and does not fully cater for the thousands of local residents who access it on a daily basis. The condition of the stadium means Shepparton is being overlooked as a venue for tournaments and other events. Our young people deserve better facilities to play on, but we also need facilities that will attract exhibition games with top athletes in our city. The council could not even use this facility as a relief centre during the floods because the roof leaks.

Greater Shepparton City Council has repeatedly identified the stadium as a high-priority infrastructure project which has the potential to create significant jobs for the local community and contribute to the growing local economy. Basketball Victoria has also identified this project as their number one infrastructure project. Redevelopment of the stadium would involve the demolition of the current early-1970s facility to be replaced with a new sports and events centre with six basketball–netball multi-use courts, including a 3000-seat show court; new wet area amenities; an administration hub, entry and cafe; and external works, including car parking.

A cost–benefit analysis which was conducted on the project found that the redevelopment would have a total local benefit output of $68 million while creating a total of 235 jobs for the local community during the construction of the site. Redevelopment of the stadium will also increase the amount of events attracted to the region, with an expected increase of 24,000 visitors to Greater Shepparton each year, which will increase visitor spending in the region by around $12.3 million annually, helping to support 89 full-time equivalent jobs per annum. The state government has contributed funding for similar projects in other regional and metropolitan centres across Victoria, including election commitments of $50 million for Waurn Ponds, $20 million for Mernda, $15 million for both Frankston and Benalla and in the past $82 million in Knox, $17 million in Traralgon and $9 million in Ballarat. I have been advocating this for some time, and it is time the government funded this project.