AFL Gather Round

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:28): My question is to the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing. Will the minister inform the council about the ongoing legacy of the Gather Round?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:28): I thank the honourable member for his question and interest about the ongoing legacy of the AFL Gather Round, an event that not only brought national attention to South Australia but continues to deliver real, lasting benefits for grassroots sports across our state. AFL Gather Round 2025 was another standout success with more than 269,000 fans attending matches across the Gather Round weekend. It brought record hotel bookings and full flights into Adelaide and vibrant activity to our city streets, regional venues and local businesses.

But what I am most proud of is how the success is now translating into tangible support for our local clubs and communities. That is the vision behind the South Australian Football Facilities Fund, a collaboration between the Malinauskas government, SANFL and the AFL. Round 2 of the fund delivered almost $3 million to 37 football infrastructure projects right across South Australia, including 20 in regional areas and 17 in metropolitan Adelaide. These grants are helping to deliver female-friendly change rooms, upgraded lighting, new irrigation systems, improved turf quality and vital supporting infrastructure like scoreboards, goalposts and umpire amenities. They are all designed to make our football clubs more inclusive and more accessible.

A highlight for me was recently visiting the Booleroo Melrose Wilmington (BMW) Football Club and meeting Joe, the president, along with Lachie, Cameron, Jess and Carly, to celebrate their successful grant of over $60,000. The funding will go towards upgrading irrigation and drainage at the oval in Melrose, a project that will significantly improve playing conditions. It is another fantastic example of this program.

In addition to the success of this program, we also know the Albanese Labor government, through their election commitments, will invest over $3.5 million in the Glenelg Football Club's second oval at Seaview High School. This major investment will deliver improved training spaces and even better access for both Seaview High School and Glenelg Football Club. These investments go into showing how we can invest not only in our elite athletes but also in our grassroots sport.