Tuesday, 5th December, 2017

The netball community in southern Gippsland will be able to play better and safer netball with funding from the Andrews Labor Government for upgrades to facilities in Bass and Fish Creek.

Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing today visited with members of the Kilcunda Bass Netball Club and community at the Bass Recreation reserve to formally announce the $100,000 funding for the redevelopment project, made possible by the Country Football & Netball Program (CFNP).

In conjunction with the Bass Coast Shire Council, the project will see the construction of a new show court with training standard lighting and repair the existing netball court to be a safe warm up court.

Later in the day Ms Shing visited the Fish Creek Football Netball Club, who will also receive $100,000 from the CFNP to upgrade their facilities with the construction of a new compliant netball court with competition lighting of 200 lux and the associated infrastructure.

The standards set for netball surfaces, surrounds and equipment by Netball Victoria and internationally have been created to reduce injury and improve safety to players and umpires.

The Country Football and Netball Program was set up specifically to provide funding to assist country football and netball clubs, associations and umpiring organisations to develop facilities in rural, regional and outer metropolitan locations.

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing:

“Netball remains the most popular team sport for girls and women in Australia, and participation numbers continue to rise. This is why it is so important that the facilities available to netball players, coaches, umpires and officials right across Gippsland, are up to standard and continue to be developed with the future of our sport in mind.”

“These local clubs are to be commended for working with their Councils to ensure that their players have access to the safe courts that they need and deserve.”