During Estimates hearings on Wednesday 31 July 2024, I asked the Minister for Tourism and Sport about any efforts to provide additional spaces for sports in space-constrained communities.
You can read my questions and his full response below, or in the official Parliamentary record of proceedings (Hansard) here.
Mr BERKMAN: Minister, in my local community, I think it is fair to say, most sporting clubs are dealing with space constraints. That is the main constraint on additional membership and, in a lot of cases, they are having to restrict memberships in a variety of age groups because they just do not have both the playing fields and the training space. I appreciate that a lot of these facilities are leased off council and that provision of green space is largely a council responsibility, but can you offer any insight into what the department is doing or might be able to do in the future to deal with these very space constrained communities and the need for playing fields?
Mr HEALY: I do hear that a lot. I thank the member for the question. Fundamentally the provision of land for sport and recreation is primarily, as you have indicated, the responsibility of local government. However, as outlined in question on notice 19, the Department of Tourism and Sport has recently administered three separate infrastructure funding programs with the aim of enhancing community sport and active recreation participation opportunities through the provision of spaces that enable quality, accessible, inclusive and safe and more efficient activity. We know that is important. We know that there is demand out there.
Across the three programs, we have approved 416 projects with a total funding, I understand, of over $770 million. These projects include new and upgraded playing surfaces, fields, courts, tracks, new and upgraded field and playing lighting, new and upgraded change rooms and amenities, improved irrigation and drainage, and upgraded spectator viewing areas. All these things need to be enhanced because we are a growing city. These infrastructure projects enhance participation opportunities and expand the capacity and quality of sport and recreation facilities. The funding has supported facilities across 59 local government areas, including 12 high-growth areas in South-East Queensland, and they were approved for a total funding amount of just under $38 million for over 207 projects.
Mr BERKMAN: Thank you, Minister. Further to that response, does the department have any specific funding allocated for land acquisition? I appreciate the nature of those projects and the financial support you have identified, but it strikes me that the key barrier for most of these sporting clubs and perhaps even for councils is the acquisition of land just to start any of those projects?
Mr HEALY: I thank the member for the question. As far as I know, we do not have funding. Tourism and sport just does not have funding for the acquisition of land. I totally hear where you are coming from. It is a challenge for a growing city. However, the answer to the question is unfortunately we do not have funding in this space for the acquisition of land. We have funding for a lot of other things, but not for land.
Mr BERKMAN: I will finish by noting I did join the Fig Tree Pocket Equestrian Club a few weeks ago for their 50th anniversary. It was a fabulous day and they very much welcome the extra funding.
Mr HEALY: I am very happy to hear that.