Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Youth and Employment Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to chat today about the Redcliffe Dolphins. We've had some really exciting news in my federal seat of Petrie, with the Redcliffe Dolphins being announced as the 17th team to enter the National Rugby League. It makes it the first Queensland club carried on a wave of community support into the NRL. It's really exciting for our community back at home in Redcliffe.

Back in 2015, I asked the people of Petrie to support a petition for the federal government to build a new stadium at the Dolphins sports precinct in Redcliffe, and they didn't disappoint. I want to thank all of those people and everyone involved in the community that supported this bid. It has seen world-class facilities built for the rugby league community, to be shared also with other sports. We have the Brisbane Roar FC playing their A-League games in Redcliffe as well. I know the Chief Government Whip is a big supporter of the Brisbane Roar, and he often comes out, and that exemplifies what this new stadium, Moreton Daily Stadium, has done for Redcliffe. Like the member here, the Chief Government Whip, people come out to games regularly. It's brought tourism to our community. It's also brought women's sport and it's also brought community groups. The federal government's $8 million investment on behalf of Australians towards the redevelopment of the club facilities, improving seating capacity, and new female amenities and change rooms was the beginning of a fantastic partnership that will, importantly, lead to more local jobs and local opportunities. We've also seen films being highlighted out here at the stadium, with the US hit show YoungRock, the story of Dwayne Johnson, filmed earlier this year. It's hard not to get excited by the uplift that will come locally from this announcement.

It was a well deserved win, too, with the club's 74 years of proud rugby league history, producing 32 Queensland reps and 23 Kangaroos. The club boasts over 800 juniors, and, if you consider the catchment of Moreton Bay up into Central Queensland's Capricornia region, that equates to one-third of rugby league juniors. Redcliffe will be to the Dolphins what Red Hill is to the Broncos, and with one million visits annually to the Dolphins' precinct, and major redevelopment plans in the works, this is brilliant for jobs and tourism within the Moreton Bay region. If we can make our Queensland State of Origin team a bit stronger as well, that will be great. I'm proud to call the Dolphins my team; and with Wayne Bennett, the super coach, officially being announced as the inaugural coach it's going to be a great first season. What started as a whisper will end in a roar from a crowd of new Dolphins supporters in 2023.