The Andrews Labor Government will keep Victoria the sporting and events capital of the world, and attract more visitors to create more jobs.
The Victorian Budget 2017/18 provides an extra $25 million to Visit Victoria to attract thousands more tourists, students, and business leaders from overseas, as part of our plan to increase visitor spending by 2025 to $36.5 billion every year and create thousands of new jobs.
An additional $20 million will boost Victoria’s Major Events Fund to attract more of the world’s biggest and best cultural and sporting events.
The Budget invests $332.8 million to improve sports facilities – from grassroots to elite – to cement Victoria as the sporting capital of the world.
The centrepiece of our investment is a $271.55 million boost to complete the third stage of the Melbourne Park redevelopment which will keep the Australian Open in Melbourne and help secure more blockbuster events.
Grassroots clubs are the heart of our communities, and the Sports Infrastructure Fund will be bolstered with a further $10 million to give more local clubs the facilities they need to grow.
A $10 million investment for the Victorian Home of Golf and National High Performance Centre will provide a state-of-the-art training, treatment and rehabilitation facility for elite golfers.
The State Sport Centres Trust will also receive $9.6 million to help the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, State Netball and Hockey Centre, and Lakeside Stadium to encourage more people to get active and healthy.
All children deserve to learn how to swim safely. Working with Life Saving Victoria and WorkSafe Victoria, the Budget delivers $1.9 million to develop new safety standards for all public swimming pools.
Other key sporting and tourism initiatives include:
- $6 million for new sport and recreation infrastructure, including new netball courts in Yarra Bend Park
- $4.9 million to start planning for the Stage 5 redevelopment of Kardinia Park in Geelong and for the redevelopment of the State Netball and Hockey Centre
- a further $1 million for the Significant Sporting Events Program to keep securing big sporting events
The Budget also includes $6.2 million to improve gender equality in sport, both on and off the field, implementing the nine ‘Game Plan Inquiry’ recommendations and to deliver further ‘Change Our Game’ initiatives.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Sport, Tourism and Major Events John Eren
“From grassroots to elite, we’re working to give all Victorians access to the facilities they need to play the sports they love, close to home.”
“Our world class precincts and blockbuster events keep our restaurants, hotels and small businesses full – and that means more jobs and a stronger state.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020