Mr NATHAN HAGARTY (Leppington) (19:49): Today I speak about the growing gap between population growth and sporting facilities in south‑western Sydney. Sport is central to our community. It brings people together, supports physical and mental health, and gives young people a sense of belonging. Right now, and for a while, the system has not been keeping up. A recent report by the Committee for Sydney,A Sporting Chance: Why Sydney needs a rethink on sport, highlights the scale of the challenge. Greater Sydney's population is projected to reach 5.7 million by 2031 and 6.3 million by 2041, which will place increasing pressure on facilities that already are stretched. In my electorate, we are already feeling that pressure. Simply put, we have a lack of playing fields. There is no synthetic running track and there is a shortage of quality indoor sporting facilities. Local clubs across football, rugby league, cricket, basketball and other codes are all competing for limited space.
The Committee for Sydney's report shows that the Liverpool local government area [LGA] ranks worst in the provision of public sports facility by an LGA in the facility‑to‑resident ratio, while Camden ranks fifth worst. Under the previous Government, funding decisions prioritised politics over merit and need and left fast‑growing communities like my own playing catch‑up. I have met with many sporting clubs and associations in my electorate and the message is consistent: Demand is outstripping supply. Clubs are being forced to cap numbers and turn teams away. Families are travelling outside the area just to access basic facilities.
For many decades, this region has produced some of our most well‑known and elite athletes at the highest level: names like Michael Clarke, Anthony Minichiello, Mark Bosnich and Chloe Esposito. We have the talent, but all too often, our best and brightest are being picked up by neighbouring associations in other parts of Sydney because we simply do not have the facilities and resources to support them locally. There is also growing concern about how new facilities are being allocated. A case in point is Willowdale oval, which was completed in 2025 by Stockland and the Campbelltown City Council. This $20 million sports precinct has a large oval to support both cricket and football, and a rectangular field for football codes. When the council called for expressions of interest, a number of existing local grassroots clubs applied. These were clubs with strong participation, long histories, and deep community ties. One such club had even secured commitment from the State body to invest further funds into infrastructure at Willowdale oval, if they were allocated the facility.
Despite that, all applicants were advised in August last year that the field would be allocated to a yet‑to‑be‑established football club for the 2026 winter season. That did not come to pass. To date, that club still does not exist. Instead, the ground is now being used several days a week by elite programs run through the Macarthur Football Association [MFA], despite that association having multiple facilities right across the Camden and Campbelltown LGAs. Local clubs simply have missed out. One such club, the Leppington Lions, has been around for more than 40 years and expected to field somewhere between 35 and 40 teams this season. The club repeatedly sought access to the ground on days it is not in use by the MFA, but has been denied. As a result, the club has been forced to cap participation due to a lack of fields, meaning local children, especially young girls, and families are missing out on the opportunity to play sport in their own community.
Public facilities should first and foremost serve their local communities. They should maximise participation and not limit it. In fast-growing areas like mine, this is not just about sport. It is about community building. It is about planning and making sure infrastructure keeps pace with growth so communities are not left behind. While local sporting facilities are primarily a local government responsibility, like public transport, roads, health and education they remain essential pieces of infrastructure. Leppington is simply asking for its fair share so that local families and the champions of tomorrow have the facilities and opportunities they deserve. I will continue to work constructively with my local councils and the relevant Ministers to ensure our community is not left behind.
