Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can't name a lot of AFL players, but the Aspley Hornets Football Club in my electorate has certainly sparked my interest in this iconic game. The Aspley Hornets are the biggest junior club in Australia; they have more players than any of the Victorian clubs. They have terrific coaches, managers, volunteers, board members and club management. They have a real vested interest in the community at large.

For the last two Friday nights I have attended the club's junior and senior presentation dinners, and they cleaned up this year. They won more premierships than they ever have before. They won two senior premierships and three junior premierships. I want to ensure that this club continues to grow and inspire children to get outside and participate in sport—to get off the couch, off the video-gaming machine, and run around on the field—because we know that by doing that it will help taxpayers through lower health costs as well. That's why last year I secured $540,000 for the club to upgrade their sporting fields. The main field at Kirby Road in Aspley has been upgraded; there's also a new coaches box and new toilets. It's a fantastic club, and I encourage people to get involved with the Aspley Hornets. Well done, and keep up the great work.