Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Once again I put on record my support for the Western Pride application for an A-League licence in football. Western Pride are based in Ipswich, and I look forward to a team in green and white playing in the A-League in football. I also put on record my strong support for an NRL licence bid, sponsored by the Ipswich Jets in support of Logan and Toowoomba. Ipswich is the home of many sporting families—the Walterses and the Langers in rugby league, and the Kitchings in football. It's the home and heartland of football and rugby league.

I call on the federal government and the Queensland government to support the Ipswich City Council's upgrade of facilities at the North Ipswich Reserve. We need the North Ipswich Reserve, the premier football arena in Ipswich, because we need national sporting code accreditation for the facility. At the last federal election, Labor made a commitment to improve female facilities and terraced seating, but Ipswich City Council is developing a business case in relation to the upgrade of the reserve. I commend the interim administrator, Greg Chemello, for committing $10 million towards the early-stage development of the stadium. It's imperative that elected representatives across the whole region support this particular upgrade. It will cost about $200 million to $250 million, but it's absolutely critical for the development of the region.

I want to put on record that this is not a choice between a new stadium and transport infrastructure. We absolutely need upgrades in the region of the Centenary Highway, the Warrego Highway and the Cunningham Highway, as well as the Norman Street Bridge, because the David Trumpy Bridge is at maximum capacity, linking the south side of Ipswich with the north. This will be an important jobs-creating enterprise as well—infrastructure and sporting pathways which will encourage local talent to remain in the area and pursue first-class sporting careers. It's absolutely crucial for the development of Ipswich.

There are many areas that are growing. Ipswich will double its population in the next 20 years. We have significant burgeoning suburbs such as Ripley, Redbank Plains, Springfield, Leichhardt and Deebing Heights all across my electorate. There are young families looking for affordable ways of entering the property market in this region, and a first-class nationally accredited sporting stadium at the North Ipswich Reserve is absolutely crucial. I support the bids for the NRL licence and the A-League licence, commend the Ipswich City Council and urge the federal government and the state government of Queensland to support this vital infrastructure for my home city.