VICTORIA’S Labor Government has been called on to contribute its “fair share” to the Mildura South Regional Sporting Precinct project.
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper on Wednesday said that while the $36.5 million multipurpose sporting precinct missed out on state funds last year, she would soon intensify a campaign for more funding ahead of this year’s budget.
“We were overlooked for this project in the 2019 budget and on that day I told the community of Mildura that the campaign for funding in May 2020 would begin there and then,” Ms Cupper said.
“I’ve been fighting for this project since I was elected in 2018, but between now and May I’ll be ramping it up.
“Our region – and especially our kids – deserve this win.”
Mildura Council will put $10 million towards the project, while the Federal Government has committed $17.5 million and the Victorian Government just $3 million.
The precinct is expected to be ready for use by mid-2021, with the AFL-standard ground forecast for use at the start of the 2022 Sunraysia Football Netball League season.
Ms Cupper said the Federal Government and Mildura Rural City Council had both chipped in their “fair share” and it was only right that the Victorian Government now “come to the table” on the project.
She said while works had started with federal and council funding, the Victorian Government contribution was essential to meeting the full vision of the sporting precinct, including capacity to welcome a full-scale AFL match to the Mildura region.
“Mildura and the AFL have a long and proud history,” she said.
“Our region is in the recruitment zone for the Richmond Football Club (and) I want to see the Tigers playing an AFL match here in Mildura and using that high profile to get more kids involved in footy.
“I want to see more young men and women from our region reaching the highest levels of the AFL and that process begins with having the right sporting facilities to get people excited and involved.”
Ms Cupper said that while the return of Mildura Base Hospital to public hands and rate relief for farmers were both strong signals that the government was listening, “the job’s not done yet”.
“We are Victorians too and we deserve the same standard of sporting facilities as other major regions in the state,” she said.
