Labor's demonstrated commitment to community sport and recreation

082/11

Today in the Legislative Assembly it was revealed that the ACT Labor Government has committed over $36 million to upgrading and building new sporting facilities for Canberrans this year.

This investment is over 10 times that promised by the opposition last week who have announced they would deliver less than 10 per cent of the funding already delivered by the ACT Labor Government this year alone.

Keeping the Canberra community active and improving sport and recreation facilities, is a key priority for the ACT Government.

This financial year the Government is spending over $36 million on sporting facilities, which are all initiatives that the Canberra Liberals have voted against in the 2011-12 Budget. These investments include:

• $26.3 million for the Gungahlin Pool,
• $2.8 million for upgrades to Stromlo Forest Park,
• $2.1 million for the Tuggeranong Multi-use Indoor Community Facility and Men Shed,
• $2 million for the redevelopment of the Kippax District Playing Fields,
• $1.1 million for the restoration of Charnwood and Isabella Plains Ovals,
• $500,000 for upgrades to the Fairbairn motorsport complex, and
• $200,000 for a feasibility study into future sporting facilities in Molonglo.

Unlike the opposition, the ACT Labor Government has supported community sporting organisations with real action over many years – not just a throw away policy announcement after the last three years of inaction and silence.

It was also revealed in the Assembly today that the real impact of the opposition’s prospective spending, using the example that a 50 per cent reduction in fees for a soccer field would see a reduction of about 5 cents per hour per player in fees – this is hardly the major reduction in costs for families the opposition claims.

Indeed, sportsground hire fees are not the major driver of costs for club sport. This means not only will the opposition strip funding from the maintenance of our sports facilities, it will go nowhere to addressing increases in fees charged to Canberra families.

The ACT Labor Government has spent 10 times more on upgrading and building community sporting infrastructure in one year than the opposition are willing to commit over four years – a great record and a great support for community sporting organisations.