STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms JORDAN-BAIRD (Gorton) (16:28): The St Albans Caroline Springs Netball Association is a thriving example of grassroots sport at its very best, providing opportunities for players of all ages and abilities and supporting 157 teams, including 76 junior teams. With just one year to go until the Netball World Cup in Sydney, it's a great time to celebrate the people who make this sport possible in our local area, like those I met during my recent visit with Alison.

They included Sharon, Celine and Nathan from the Hillside Sharks; Amy and her mum, Allison, from the Hurricanes; Maz, a SACSNA umpire, who served on the committee for more than 30 years; Chris, president and under 11s coach at the Jaguars; Karyn and Monique, SACSNA a committee members and supervisors; and Tania, president and coach of the Burnside Springs United.

I met Hayden from Burnside Bears along with umpires Metz and Dishani. And I met Leata, treasurer and coach of St Albans netball club, alongside her sisters Vy and Trinh, who play under-15s and under-13s. But demand has outgrown the available infrastructure.

Melbourne's west continues to grow, yet court availability is stretched to its limit. Junior matches are played with shortened eight-minute quarters, and difficult decisions have to get made about prioritising one sport over another, like basketball over netball, or competition schedules over training allocations. I want to see more investment in our local sporting facilities because investing in community sports facilities means investing in healthier communities.

(Time expired)