Juliana ADDISON (Wendouree) (19:03): My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, and it is about the record investment the Allan Labor government is making at the Eureka sports precinct in my electorate of Wendouree. Would the minister please meet with me to discuss the progress being made on the expansion of Eureka stadium with an additional 5000 seats and the construction of the new athletics track at the adjacent former Ballarat Showgrounds site?

Sport and recreation are really important to me and my community, and I am so proud of everything that successive Labor governments have delivered for grassroots sport and recreation across the city of Ballarat. We have supported local sporting and recreational clubs and delivered for our netballers, our runners, our soccer players, our anglers, our walkers, our lawn bowlers, our hockey players, our basketballers, our tennis players and our cricketers.

State government projects include upgrades to Alfredton rec reserve, the stage 2 development of Selkirk Stadium, lighting up the Steve Moneghetti Track at Lake Wendouree, the Delacombe Primary School stadium, the new basketball facility at Phoenix college, six new Hot Shots courts at the Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre and the transformation of the Wendouree West rec reserve. We have also stocked Lake Wendouree with fish, funded new cricket nets at Victoria Park in Newington, installed outdoor gym equipment at Doug Dean in Delacombe, switched on lights at Russell Square in Brown Hill and delivered new netball courts at North Ballarat.

But there is still more to do, and that is why we are investing up to $8.4 million at Marty Busch in Sebastopol, delivering for the Sebas footy and netball club, the CFA volunteers, the BMX riders, the cyclists and the frisbee players.

The investment we have made in our new community sporting infrastructure as well as vital upgrades to existing recreational facilities means that local sport is thriving and, importantly, attracting new participants, young and old. I know firsthand of the huge impact sporting investment has for our local clubs, such as the Forest Rangers Soccer Club in Wendouree. I am confident that the investment the government is making at the Eureka sports precinct will not only benefit today’s athletes but help the development of future generations of local champions. The upgrades will also enhance the spectator experience at Eureka stadium, whether it is watching the Western Bulldogs; watching soccer, AFL or rugby; or attending live music events.

I look forward to the meeting with the minister and learning of the progress that is being made to deliver this outstanding project for Ballarat and Western Victoria.

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