Mackay LNP candidate Nigel Dalton offers $800,000 in funding for indoor hockey centre

Hockey Mackay has locked in a major election promise from Mackay LNP candidate Nigel Dalton, with $800,000 in funding offered for a new indoor facility.

Mackay LNP candidate (front left) and Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox (front right) pose with members of Hockey Mackay after announcing $800,000 in funding for a new indoor facility. Picture: Hockey Mackay Facebook

Hockey Mackay could have 800,000 reasons to celebrate next month, after they secured an election promise from Mackay LNP candidate Nigel Dalton ahead of the Queensland State Election on October 26.

The funding announcement was made on Friday, with the Liberals’ $800k representing two-thirds of the total cost of the project, with the hockey association itself set to make up the remaining $400k.

Association treasurer Melissa Sorensen said the hockey community is excited about the potential prospects for the future should this facility ultimately get built.

“It future-proofs our indoor hockey competition,” Sorensen said.

“Right now the situation is that we have to hire a school hall or a basketball court, and every couple of years we have to get kicked out of those facilities because the floors are not built for indoor hockey.

The Mackay boy's U18 indoor hockey team that won the state championships. Picture: Mackay hockey player and coach development Facebook.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to be at Pioneer High for the past three years, and having that venue has allowed us to host the under-14 state championships here in Mackay.

“If they’re not going to be in Mackay they’ll be played in Maryborough, and that’s additional travel that our parents and kids have to do.”

With six state team members currently residing in Mackay, plus a rich history of Olympians and other elite-level players coming from the community, Sorensen said this new facility would give their current and future elite players the opportunity to train year-round.

“Right now they can only train when we have the facility booked, but with this facility they would be able to train before any competition or training camp,” she said.

Norths A1 men's side were crowned premiers in the 2023 Mackay Hockey season. Picture: Hockey Mackay Facebook.

In a statement, Dalton said that with 1100 active players in the Mackay region, he believes it’s time that the community had an indoor centre of its own.

“Mackay Hockey has produced eight Olympians over the years and that’s an incredible legacy which deserves our support,” he said.

“Hockey is a popular sport in Mackay with a long history of producing champions at Olympic, national and state level.”

We reached out for comment from Mackay ALP candidate Belinda Hassan, who said while she was not able to match the funding offer immediately as she was not fully across the details of the plan, she was “happy” to meet with the hockey association to discuss the plan.

“I would then take that back to my party and find out if we were able to include that into our budget.”