Northern Gold Coast Netball Association reveals how it got rid of fridges amid spiralling electricity costs

A Gold Coast sports club with thousands of members has revealed how it took a drastic measure to save funds as spiralling costs smashed its finances.

A major Gold Coast sporting association has had to get rid of fridges and freezers from its clubhouse as it battles with surging costs.

Northern Gold Coast Netball Association Treasurer Christine Main said the Runaway Bay-based club, which has 2500 members, had made the drastic decision in order to cut down on its electricity bill.

“We looked at our electricity bill for last year and we actually handed back certain refrigeration equipment and freezer equipment that we felt was increasing the cost of electricity,” Ms Main said.

“That’s one thing that we have definitely had to make adjustments for.”

According to the LNP, the cost of participating in sport was up 10.3 per cent in Queensland last year – a higher increase than in any other state.

Ms Main said the Netball Association had keenly felt the impact, compounded by severe damage to its courts in the Christmas Night tornado.

She said that despite the rapidly rising costs, grant funding received from the state government had not increased on previous year.

“Basically every cost that we incur – electricity is a huge cost, rental, hire venue costs, costs for the canteen – it’s just increasing the pressure on our fees,” she said. “And our association has really made it an important thing to keep fees as low as possible.

“We’ve actually barely increased our fees to keep girls and men and women playing sport on the Gold Coast.

“We have 2500 members that play sport just in our association and because the fees are going up, because we’re keeping our fees low, it means that we’re relying more and more on volunteers.”

LNP leader David Crisafulli, Northern Gold Coast Netball Association Treasurer Christine Main and Theodore MP Mark Boothman. Picture: Keith Woods.

Speaking at Pacific Pines on the Gold Coast, LNP leader David Crisafulli said not enough was being done to support local clubs.

“What you have is a double whammy where families pay increasing things like electricity and insurance at home and then they cop it again in their sporting fees,” he said.

“Increasingly, we’re hearing stories of parents going without the most basic of essentials just so their kids can get into sport.

“You shouldn’t have to choose between putting food on the table or sending your son or daughter off to play footy or netball. That shouldn’t be a decision that you have to make.”

Theodore MP Mark Boothman said soaring costs for sporting associations were putting an extra burden on families in his area who were already doing it tough.

“Insurance costs, they’re skyrocketing, electricity costs, they’re skyrocketing, water costs, they’re skyrocketing. Families who have got a choice of putting food on the table or paying the rent, they’re going to say, ‘I can’t afford to send my kids to the sporting clubs’,” Mr Boothman said.

“That’s not fair on those kids and that’s not fair on those families.

“We need to do something a lot more about this, and the state government actually has the power to do this.”

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