By Derek Schlennstedt
An elected Shorten Labor Government will invest $250,000 to deliver two new netball courts at Emerald Football-Netball Club.
In just over ten years, the club has gone from fielding its first ever netball team to four teams in the 2018 season, with an additional Under 17 team to be introduced this year.
All of the club’s netball teams currently play and train on a single tennis court constructed in 1986 for the now-defunct Avonsleigh tennis club.
The out-dated former tennis facilities were considered inadequate and not suitable for the growing number of netballers.
Labor’s investment will upgrade the facilities, enabling single, whole-club training sessions that will bring teams together on training and selection night, which will help create comradery, improve team work and ultimately encourage further participation growth.
Simon Curtis, Labor Candidate for La Trobe, said the new courts would help ensure women and girls in the community have the opportunity to participate in sport.
“As someone who has been involved in local sport all my life, I know how much sport means to our community,” Mr Curtis said.
“As a father of three girls, I also know how important it is to fight for increased female participation in sport.”
Shadow Minister for Sport Senator Don Farrell said Labor is committed to supporting clubs and communities to improve local sporting facilities to give all Australians a fair go at sport.
“Whether they dream of one day representing Australia playing for the Diamonds or they just want to enjoy the benefits of being physically active, Labor is proud to be helping to provide facilities that support increased participation in sport, particularly by women and girls,” Senator Farrell said.
“Our investments in local community sporting clubs and facilities like these help them build capacity to meet the welcome growth in female participation in club sport and support more Australians to live active, healthy lifestyles.”
In 2017 Cardinia Council announced $1.7 million as part of a three-stage multi-million dollar development just up the road in Emerald at Pepi’s Land, where four new Netball courts were built.Though, it is alleged that these courts were built for the Junior Netball Club, and were not able to be used by the Senior Football Netball Club competition.
