ADJOURNMENT

Ms WITTY (Melbourne) (19:44): For years The Footy Show told us that footy is more than a game, and, for those of us who follow the mighty Richmond Football Club, that couldn't be more true, because for Richmond footy is not just about what happens between the sirens; it's about people, it's about place and it's about community. Recently, I had the privilege of visiting the redevelopment of Punt Road Oval, the heart and home of the Tigers for more than 135 years.

Anyone who's ever stood on that patch of ground feels the energy of generations of Tigers. It's players, supporters, families and volunteers who have poured their hearts into the yellow and black. But this redevelopment is not about nostalgia; it's about the future for the club, for women's sport and for a very special group of kids.

The project is the biggest infrastructure upgrade in the club's long history. The existing facilities simply didn't serve the needs of today's players, staff or fans. They included an ageing and unsafe grandstand and a playing surface that no longer meets elite standards.

The vision for stage 1 is to create a home that truly reflects what the club stands for today: inclusion, equality and excellence. It will provide modern facilities for both men's and women's games, ensuring Richmond's AFLW team finally have a home that properly supports them, with the same high-performance resources and spaces that have long been standard for the men's game—or, as I like to say, the AFLM.

The redevelopment will also welcome more supporters back into the ground through improved spectator spaces, better amenities and more accessible parking. It's about ensuring that every fan—young or old, local or visitor—feels proud and connected when they walk through those gates. But what really stands out, and what I want to shine a light on today, is Richmond's deep, genuine and enduring commitment to community.

This is not a club that turns inward. Richmond looks outward to the people who have always supported it. One of the best examples of this commitment is the club's longstanding partnership with the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School, known as MITS.

MITS, which proudly calls my electorate home, supports Indigenous students from remote and rural communities as they take the brave step of moving to Melbourne to study and build their futures. It's a place that provides not just education but belonging and not just a school but a second home, and that's what makes its partnership with Richmond so powerful. For the young people at MITS, having the Tigers in the same building means they have role models who look out for them—people who show them what's possible through hard work, teamwork and community spirit.

And, for players and staff at Richmond, it's a two-way exchange. They learn from the students about culture, about country, about resilience and about pride. It's a partnership built on respect and mutual benefits.

If stage 2 of the Punt Road redevelopment proceeds as planned, this partnership will grow even stronger. The club hopes to include new learning spaces for MITS students within the William Cooper Centre, named in honour of the legendary Yorta Yorta activist and leader. What a powerful statement that would be—a world-class sporting precinct that also houses a space dedicated to education, culture and opportunity for young Indigenous Australians.

When I visited the staff and students at MITS, they spoke with enormous pride about their connection to Richmond Football Club. They know they are part of something special—something that celebrates their culture, supports their studies and welcomes them as part of the Richmond family. This is what 'more than a game' truly means.

It's not just about a scoreboard; it's about the impact beyond the boundary line in classrooms, in communities and in the lives of young people finding their way in the city. It's about creating pathways. It's about honouring community.

So to the Richmond Football Club, to MITS and to all the people working to make the vision a reality: thank you. Thank you for showing Australia what community leadership looks like. Thank you for showing us what 'more than a game' really is.