❓ The Minister for Sport and Recreation outlines the McGowan government's investment in the State Football Centre and HBF Park upgrades, highlighting benefits for the local football community, the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023, job creation, and increased female participation in sport.
AnsweredQoN 438Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE FOOTBALL CENTRE
438. Ms H.M. BEAZLEY to the Minister for Sport and
Recreation:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's
significant investment in job-creating sporting infrastructure across Western Australia, including the new State
Football Centre. Can the minister outline what this facility will mean for WA's local football community—regardless
of him wearing a different code's scarf today!—and the FIFA
Women's World Cup in 2023; and can the minister advise the house
how the McGowan Labor government's investment in sporting
infrastructure is supporting local jobs and the growth of female participation
in sport?
438. Ms H.M. BEAZLEY to the Minister for Sport and
Recreation:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's
significant investment in job-creating sporting infrastructure across Western Australia, including the new State
Football Centre. Can the minister outline what this facility will mean for WA's local football community—regardless
of him wearing a different code's scarf today!—and the FIFA
Women's World Cup in 2023; and can the minister advise the house
how the McGowan Labor government's investment in sporting
infrastructure is supporting local jobs and the growth of female participation
in sport?
AnswerView source ↗
Before I answer this fantastic
question, I acknowledge on behalf of the member for Bassendean the staff of
Meerilinga, who are in the gallery.
I thank the member for Victoria Park for the question. It is
always great to get a question on sport after a great Dockers victory in the Western Derby! As we know, the FIFA Women's
World Cup is to be held in 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, and Perth
is one of the host cities, which is absolutely fantastic news. That came about
through the strong advocacy of the McGowan government and Football West. The
popularity of football—the world game variety—continues to grow
in this state, with around 160 000 registered participants. The growth of
female football is phenomenal. Even during
the COVID-19 period, over the last year there has been a 45 per cent increase
in female participation in football, which is absolutely fantastic.
It was with great pleasure that I was
with the Premier at HBF Park this morning to announce the state government's
commitment of $35 million to the upgrading of HBF Park ahead of the staging of
the Women's World Cup in 2023. That funding will be used to upgrade the
lighting of the premises, the power, the electronic scoreboards, video
scoreboards and the turf, and there will be other improvements in amenities for
spectators and players. I was there this morning with the Premier and the member
for Cannington to also announce a commitment the state government has made to
the Football West high-performance centre in Queens Park. I should acknowledge
the member for Cannington's long
advocacy for that centre. Of course, it is very close to the member for
Victoria Park's electorate. It will obviously serve the whole of
the Western Australian football community. It is a great initiative. The Western Australian government has put $16.25 million
into that centre, which is matched by the commonwealth government to the
same tune. That centre will be completed by the time of the Women's
World Cup, so at least one of the visiting teams will be able to use that as a training
centre. It will have pitches, administration facilities for Football West and a
high-performance centre that will include testing facilities and so forth. We
should not forget that although these projects are very important for football,
they also create many jobs. Those two projects, the HBF Park improvements and
the new State Football Centre in Queens Park, will create at least 750 jobs,
and that is in addition to all the jobs
created as part of the McGowan government's $164 million commitment to
sporting infrastructure at the last election.
Regarding
the football World Cup, we recently saw the women's soccer tournament
at the Olympic Games in Tokyo , where Australia finished fourth, just
missing out on a bronze medal. It was exciting football to watch. I think the
Matildas would have to be in the top two or three most popular national teams
in Australia. I cannot wait until the World Cup
is held here in 2023, which should be a great incentive for young female soccer
players in this state and around the
nation. Who knows who will be the next Samantha Kerr, who has to be the number
one player in the world and plays for the great, fantastic Chelsea
Football Club in the Premier League? There will be other Sam Kerrs out there.
This morning, Premier, we possibly saw a couple of Sam Kerrs in the making as
they dribbled between our legs with the ball, although they were energetic
young boys. Those juniors were very energetic, and we could not get the ball
off them! That was a great announcement. As I said, it was part of improving
the facilities for sport in Western Australia for the world game, as part of
the FIFA World Cup, but also for football generally.
I
should also state that we have put a huge commitment into sporting facilities.
As was announced in the 2021 election campaign, we have committed a further
$2 million in funding over four years towards upgrades and new buildings for
female-friendly change rooms, which are incredibly important. In addition to
that, we have quarantined $500 000 per year exclusively for female-friendly
facilities under the community sporting and recreation facilities fund. There
is even more than that, member for Roe, as he is the opposition sports
spokesperson.
The SPEAKER : That might
deserve another question, if there is more!
Dr A.D. BUTI : Maybe, but this
is all positive! There is the McGowan government's $10 million
commitment over four years for the club night lights program. That is really
important, because with the additional participation in sport by females there
is greater demand now on playing facilities. Obviously, if there is an upgrade
in lighting, the facilities can be used for a longer time. That is an
absolutely fantastic initiative by the McGowan government. It is really
positive news.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
Dr
A.D. BUTI : The negativity I think
I am hearing there from the member for North West Central is quite amazing .
This morning I just announced a $35 million investment in the HBF Park upgrade
and $16.25 million as part of a $35 million new State Football Centre, plus the
increase in lighting facilities and the increase in funding for women's
facilities, and the member for North West Central still wants to complain. All
I can say is: bring on 2023, and go the Matildas!
The SPEAKER : I know you have
a lot of sporting records, but you now have the record for the longest answer
in question time this year!
Mr D.J. Kelly : It was
previously my record!
The SPEAKER : It was
previously held by the Minister for Water!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Member for Roe.
question, I acknowledge on behalf of the member for Bassendean the staff of
Meerilinga, who are in the gallery.
I thank the member for Victoria Park for the question. It is
always great to get a question on sport after a great Dockers victory in the Western Derby! As we know, the FIFA Women's
World Cup is to be held in 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, and Perth
is one of the host cities, which is absolutely fantastic news. That came about
through the strong advocacy of the McGowan government and Football West. The
popularity of football—the world game variety—continues to grow
in this state, with around 160 000 registered participants. The growth of
female football is phenomenal. Even during
the COVID-19 period, over the last year there has been a 45 per cent increase
in female participation in football, which is absolutely fantastic.
It was with great pleasure that I was
with the Premier at HBF Park this morning to announce the state government's
commitment of $35 million to the upgrading of HBF Park ahead of the staging of
the Women's World Cup in 2023. That funding will be used to upgrade the
lighting of the premises, the power, the electronic scoreboards, video
scoreboards and the turf, and there will be other improvements in amenities for
spectators and players. I was there this morning with the Premier and the member
for Cannington to also announce a commitment the state government has made to
the Football West high-performance centre in Queens Park. I should acknowledge
the member for Cannington's long
advocacy for that centre. Of course, it is very close to the member for
Victoria Park's electorate. It will obviously serve the whole of
the Western Australian football community. It is a great initiative. The Western Australian government has put $16.25 million
into that centre, which is matched by the commonwealth government to the
same tune. That centre will be completed by the time of the Women's
World Cup, so at least one of the visiting teams will be able to use that as a training
centre. It will have pitches, administration facilities for Football West and a
high-performance centre that will include testing facilities and so forth. We
should not forget that although these projects are very important for football,
they also create many jobs. Those two projects, the HBF Park improvements and
the new State Football Centre in Queens Park, will create at least 750 jobs,
and that is in addition to all the jobs
created as part of the McGowan government's $164 million commitment to
sporting infrastructure at the last election.
Regarding
the football World Cup, we recently saw the women's soccer tournament
at the Olympic Games in Tokyo , where Australia finished fourth, just
missing out on a bronze medal. It was exciting football to watch. I think the
Matildas would have to be in the top two or three most popular national teams
in Australia. I cannot wait until the World Cup
is held here in 2023, which should be a great incentive for young female soccer
players in this state and around the
nation. Who knows who will be the next Samantha Kerr, who has to be the number
one player in the world and plays for the great, fantastic Chelsea
Football Club in the Premier League? There will be other Sam Kerrs out there.
This morning, Premier, we possibly saw a couple of Sam Kerrs in the making as
they dribbled between our legs with the ball, although they were energetic
young boys. Those juniors were very energetic, and we could not get the ball
off them! That was a great announcement. As I said, it was part of improving
the facilities for sport in Western Australia for the world game, as part of
the FIFA World Cup, but also for football generally.
I
should also state that we have put a huge commitment into sporting facilities.
As was announced in the 2021 election campaign, we have committed a further
$2 million in funding over four years towards upgrades and new buildings for
female-friendly change rooms, which are incredibly important. In addition to
that, we have quarantined $500 000 per year exclusively for female-friendly
facilities under the community sporting and recreation facilities fund. There
is even more than that, member for Roe, as he is the opposition sports
spokesperson.
The SPEAKER : That might
deserve another question, if there is more!
Dr A.D. BUTI : Maybe, but this
is all positive! There is the McGowan government's $10 million
commitment over four years for the club night lights program. That is really
important, because with the additional participation in sport by females there
is greater demand now on playing facilities. Obviously, if there is an upgrade
in lighting, the facilities can be used for a longer time. That is an
absolutely fantastic initiative by the McGowan government. It is really
positive news.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
Dr
A.D. BUTI : The negativity I think
I am hearing there from the member for North West Central is quite amazing .
This morning I just announced a $35 million investment in the HBF Park upgrade
and $16.25 million as part of a $35 million new State Football Centre, plus the
increase in lighting facilities and the increase in funding for women's
facilities, and the member for North West Central still wants to complain. All
I can say is: bring on 2023, and go the Matildas!
The SPEAKER : I know you have
a lot of sporting records, but you now have the record for the longest answer
in question time this year!
Mr D.J. Kelly : It was
previously my record!
The SPEAKER : It was
previously held by the Minister for Water!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Member for Roe.
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