House of Assembly: Thursday, October 14, 2021

Contents

Sport Infrastructure

Mrs POWER (Elder) (14:26): My question is for the Minister for Infrastructure and Sport. Can the minister please update the house about how the Marshall Liberal government is delivering for South Australian sporting communities by building what matters?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:26): I thank the member for her question, and nothing makes me happier than seeing a hardworking member delivering for their community, because that's what it's about on this side of the chamber: delivering for our communities. We don't put sporting opportunities in the too-hard basket: we deliver them. We deliver these projects because they are important to the people of South Australia.

The biggest ever investment in sport is being delivered by this government, especially at the grassroots level. The Marshall Liberal government has committed more than $400 million all up into sport since coming into government, and that's an investment right across the state. These grants in sporting and recreation organisations build what matters by developing core infrastructure and community hubs that are key to driving sport participation and getting those rates up right across South Australia.

I know the member for Elder has been very passionate about the Mitchell Park Sports and Community Club. She has been on about this piece of infrastructure for a long period of time, and we are now helping to deliver that. I was also delighted to be in the member for Flinders' local area at a local grassroots club, the Port Neill Districts Community Sports Club, and we inspected their future facility, where they are building a new netball court with a grant of $82,000 from the Marshall Liberal government. I was very proud to see what they are doing up there in the regions in the member for Flinders' electorate. By giving this community better facilities, we are allowing their young people to get out there, partake in sport and also fulfil their future sporting dreams.

It's not just the member for Flinders' electorate; we are delivering sporting infrastructure for those opposite as well. I know the member for Elizabeth's face lights up when he talks about the project we are delivering there: $894,436 going into grants for new change rooms at the Elizabeth Oval, Playford Sports Precinct, and new lighting towers at Playford International College. It is a huge investment, again getting more people in his electorate playing sport and active.

Over in the member for West Torrens' electorate, again some wonderful work is happening there at the Peake Gardens Riverside Tennis Club with $959,750 to develop clubroom facilities, incorporate external access to the canteen and toilets, additional construction of modular unisex change rooms, umpire rooms and improving disability access there as well—a great project. This project will benefit the 278 active members who use the site weekly. I can hear the members over there thanking us because we're doing this great work for both sides of the parliament. Mr Speaker, in your electorate, in Kavel—I was just doing the sums the other day—we have invested $10 million into the sports community. You heard right—$10 million:

$7.3 million going into the Mount Barker Regional Indoor Aquatic and Leisure Centre, a great project I know you are very keen on;

$341,000 sports floodlighting for Mount Barker Regional Sports Hub; and

$99,000 for resurfacing netball courts and lighting upgrades at Woodside for the Mid-Hills Netball Association and much, much more.

We are proud to be delivering for the sports communities of Adelaide and in the Adelaide Hills as well.

Back to those opposite, I know the member for Cheltenham's community is buzzing. We have $85,000 going there to the Woodville oval for floodlighting. The member for Reynell, I know the member will be singing the government's praises because we have delivered nearly $50,000 for the Southern Districts Cricket Club to install a turf square and surface upgrades to Bice Oval at Christies Beach.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: Aren't they excited about this? This will improve their surfaces there and of course improve their cricket facilities as well. This government is proud to be delivering for those opposite and for all South Australians as we build what matters and get more people more active across our state.

The SPEAKER: The member for Davenport is warned.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader has the call.