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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-04-01 Daily Xml
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Edwardstown Oval

Ms STINSON (Badcoe) (15:41): I rise today to discuss the future of sporting clubs at Edwardstown oval. Edwardstown memorial oval has long been the home of the mighty Towns, that is, the 102-year-old Edwardstown Football Club. It is also the home of the awesome bunch at the Edwardstown Bowls Club, whose women's team are pennant champions this year; the Meteors triathlon squad; the South Coast Cycling Club; and the long-established South Road Cricket Club.

But now the home of these clubs, and the hundreds or maybe thousands of local families who enjoy sport and recreation at this hub, is fracturing. I have been hearing the worries of these clubs steadily growing in volume over the past year. I have worked behind the scenes to address these issues, but it is now time that the situation is called out if we are going to get progress and a resolution. The clubs are concerned for their financial futures due to the operating models that the City of Marion has imposed, and it is not just one funding model; they are now up to the third incarnation.

The clubs at the site were promised several years ago that if they agreed to the destruction of their long-held separate clubhouses, which they built themselves, and they agreed to the construction of a new facility with federal and council funds, which was opened in 2019, they would be no worse off and would actually have more prosperous clubs. That is what they were promised; that simply has not happened.

The clubs have explained to me repeatedly and in great detail how they are owed tens of thousands of dollars from the council from prior agreements, money that has been owed for more than a year. This has been repeatedly raised with the council and discussed at length, yet it has still not been resolved. The council now wants the clubs to sign up to yet another funding arrangement, a profit share agreement, which the clubs believe will leave them liable for more running costs but with less certainty of income.

The Marion council's arrangements have already proved untenable for three of the clubs at the site, which several weeks ago opted out of the affiliation arrangement and intend now to simply pay site fees. This means their members will not use the Edwardstown club, including the bar, canteen and kitchen, and they may not supply volunteers anymore, and you cannot blame them. They have to look after what is best for their members and their financial viability.

That leaves two clubs: footy and bowls. The bowls club has started looking at other bowls clubs to merge with because they are so concerned about their future at the site. This situation cannot continue. It is damaging the capacity of these volunteer-run clubs to grow their sports and it is putting at risk vital recreational facilities in our area. I am particularly concerned about the heavy stress of the ongoing, complex and stressful situation on people who are voluntarily giving up their time to lead these clubs.

They did not sign up for this. They did not sign up for the constant calls and emails to try to sort out this mess, they did not sign up for endless meetings where promises are made but not delivered and they did not sign up for the burden of rescuing their beloved sports clubs from poor decisions. They did not sign up for navigating complex accounting and legal problems. This is all risking the morale of these great clubs, especially as they enter the next competitive season.

So far this is what I have done: I have facilitated several meetings between the clubs and council officials, and each time promises have been made and not delivered on; I have spent countless hours talking with the clubs to understand the detail of their concerns; and a fortnight ago I wrote to every City of Marion councillor and the CEO highlighting the issues and urging them to act to bring the situation to a close. I have also had phone conversations with many of those councillors.

These are proud clubs. They form part of the fabric of our neighbourhood right in the heart of Badcoe. This is a sporting hub where we go to cheer on our friends and family, but it is also a place where children learn teamwork. It is a place where we gather socially and enjoy each other's company. It is a place where we will soon meet to commemorate ANZAC Day.

This facility means nothing without the clubs that inhabit it and give it life. We cannot let those clubs down. It is time the council realises that it alone has the power to fix this mess and to act to protect the sporting, cultural and social legacy of these valuable clubs. That may cost money, but that is money that ratepayers expect the council to responsibly expend in order to provide amenity.

In the meantime, I will continue to use the avenues I have available to me to raise this increasingly worrying situation. I stand ready to assist in any way I can, but resolving the situation will require leadership from the council. If that leadership is forthcoming, and if a resolution is forthcoming quickly, my community will thank them.

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