Independent MLC Bec Thomas has slammed the Liberals for redirecting $18.8 million to build four extra sports courts at the Northern Suburbs Recreation Hub in Launceston.
The Hobart-based Elwick MLC said the election promise, unveiled by Premier Jeremy Rockliff over the weekend, ignored the need for new courts in the state’s south.
“While any investment in community sport is welcome, the blatant pork barrelling driven inequity in this government’s allocation of funding across Tasmania is impossible to ignore,” she said.
Rockliff confirmed the new courts would be funded through a “redistribution of existing funds” from the latest state budget.
“Our Liberal team is aware of the high demand for indoor sports infrastructure across the state and is delivering or supporting several projects that will help to address this need,” he said.
“Our priority here is to ensure the best outcome for sporting organisations in northern Tasmania.”
But Thomas said the decision showed how southern communities, feeling “unseen and unheard”, were being left behind.
“Basketball Tasmania’s own facility strategy says the north is nine courts short, while the south is 16 courts short,” she said.
“Yet with this latest announcement, there are now 11 courts planned for construction in the north, compared to just four in the south.”
The announcement comes as southern sporting clubs face uncertainty over the future of the Swisherr facility, with the University of Tasmania planning to sell the CBD building that houses it.
Thomas warned some young people could be left without anywhere to play when that happens.
“We’ve got kids who’ll be on the streets come May next year when Swisherr closes because this government cares more about shoring up votes in the north than it cares about the kids in Clark,” she said.
“Under this government Hobart will become a place you can watch but not play sport.”
The north and north-west have received about $99 million in state funding for major community sport infrastructure in recent years, while the south has received $41 million.
Elite sports infrastructure, including high-performance centres and stadium upgrades, has also totalled hundreds of millions of dollars.
“The south, where almost half of Tasmania’s population lives, has received … less than half the funding,” Thomas said.
She said the Liberals must commit to building a new four-court indoor facility at New Town Bay and pay for urgent upgrades to local school sports facilities.
“This is not a ‘nice-to-have’,” she said. “It’s a must-have and the groundwork is done.”
“Our young sports people deserve better. Our community clubs deserve certainty.”
