CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Ms DOYLE (Aston) (10:19): I rise today to speak about an important investment in the Knoxfield community and about delivering on a commitment we made to local residents. Carrington Park is a much-loved community sporting precinct, and I am very pleased to see the redevelopment of its pavilion now well underway. Ahead of the 2025 federal election, I announced that a re-elected Albanese Labor government would provide $1.8 million towards the redevelopment of the Carrington Park pavilion.

That commitment is now being delivered. The existing pavilion dates back to 1975. After more than 50 years of use, it no longer met the needs of the sporting clubs and the growing community that rely on Carrington Park.

This redevelopment will change that. Carrington Park is home to a number of local sporting clubs, including the Knoxfield Knights Cricket Club, the Knox United Soccer Club and the Scoresby junior football club, the Scoresby Magpies. These clubs bring hundreds of local children, young people and families together through sport.

They provide opportunities for people to be active, to make friends, to develop confidence and teamwork and to feel connected to their community, and the facilities they use should reflect the important role they play. One of the most significant aspects of this redevelopment is it will provide proper inclusive changerooms and amenities for women and girls. It will also include improved disability access facilities for away teams and officials, public toilets, meeting and social spaces, a first aid room, kitchen and kiosk facilities, and additional storage.

These are practical improvements but they will have a significant impact on the experience of everyone who uses Carrington Park. A sporting pavilion is about much more than the building itself; it is where young players get ready for the game, where parents meet other families, where volunteers selflessly give up their weekends, where coaches encourage the next generation and where clubs build the sense of belonging that keeps communities strong.

I acknowledge Knox City Council, the local sporting clubs and the many volunteers who have advocated for these improvements and helped bring this project forward. This is an example of what can be achieved when different levels of government work together to deliver the infrastructure communities need. Most importantly, this is an election commitment being delivered.

Works commenced earlier this year and are expected to be completed in early 2027. I look forward to returning to Carrington Park when the project is complete and seeing the sports clubs and all the local families who use this reserve enjoying the new facilities. For the girls who will walk into a dedicated changeroom and know that these facilities were designed for them too, this redevelopment will send an important message: you belong here and your participation matters.

This is what a $1.8 million Labor government investment is helping deliver for Knoxfield.