On Monday I was informed of a truly disappointing decision for rugby league fans in the south-west of Sydney and the Macarthur region, including my Leppington electorate. The South West Goannas team, based around the Camden Valley corridor, was expelled from the upcoming 2024 season by New South Wales Rugby League [NSWRL] and other Group 6 clubs. The Goannas are rising stars in the region, having been established in 2020 with two senior teams. They have since been undefeated premiers in the gold conference competition in 2022 and have made a significant mark in the Macarthur first grade competition this year.

In spite of those outstanding achievements, the club's future is now uncertain following this shocking decision. Its expulsion comes without a clear and justifiable reason. An email received by the club on Friday stated, "The results of last night's vote in regard to the club's submission to participate in the 2024 premiership competition—the club's submission was unsuccessful. Despite this and with numerous conversations had, the NSWRL and Group 6 Rugby League Board are keen to work with the club to build on the 2023 season and your submission for future application to the premiership competition." Some consolation!

As club president Mark Baird stated, the decision does not pass the pub test. The NSWRL continually asked for further submissions and information from the club, which was supplied and worked through. However, each step of the way more roadblocks would appear. In addition to the administrative barriers, the club has faced complaints from rival clubs. Recently a neighbouring club complained that the Goannas were training in a different local area, leading to a warning from the NSWRL due to a train-and-play policy. That particular incident involved players running up a steep local road as part of a long-distance jog. I fail to see how this hurts nearby rivals. Further, such a policy would mean that teams that travel some distance to a pool, a centre of excellence or a beach for sand training would also be in breach of that policy. The Goannas have worked extremely hard to strengthen and improve their team for the upcoming season. They have signed former New Zealand international and Brisbane Bulldog Greg Eastwood as coach and a number of notable players, including some from the NSW Cup, in what was expected to be a highly competitive year for the club.

As I have said in this place on several occasions, my area is growing fast. However, infrastructure is failing to keep up. Stories like this one are the result of that failure. Like other clubs across virtually all sporting codes in my area, the Goannas and rugby league generally are seeing growth in participation rates. This year, Group 6 Junior Rugby League is up 12 per cent in number of participants, and the Wests Tigers Macarthur District is up 22 per cent. The Goannas are the sole rugby league club specialising in senior rugby league along the Camden Valley Way corridor, and they represent growth in this region. WestInvest earmarked a significant investment into Camden Council for playing fields to aid in western Sydney's recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, an initiative that was meant to uplift community sport. The Scalabrini East Pat Kontista Active Open Space and Community Facilities project has earmarked $21 million for Camden Council to deliver three sports fields, three tennis courts, a multipurpose court and three local parks. With projects like this and others in the pipeline, it presents a ready solution to the issues the Goannas face.

The impulsive decision to exclude the Goannas from the upcoming season undermines their hard work and deprives the community of a rising local club. The lack of transparency in the decision raises questions about the fairness and integrity of the decision-making process. I strongly urge the NSWRL and the relevant decision‑makers to reconsider their decision to exclude the Goannas from the upcoming season and reassess the club's reinstatement. I urge Camden Council to come to the party and work with the Goannas and the NSWRL to grow a sport that has a rich and storied history in my region. I thank everyone for the longest session of this year.