ALP, Greens pledge new sports facilities for Darebin ahead of state election

NETBALL players are set to benefit with Labor and Greens pledging to put their weight behind more facilities.

Netballers have been lobbying for courts in the southern end of Darebin for years. Picture: Angie Basdekis

DAREBIN’S netball players are set to benefit from the coming election with both Labor and the Greens pledging to put their weight behind more facilities.

Labor has promised to build 64 new netball courts across Melbourne, Moreland, Yarra and Darebin councils.

Ella and her friends are forced to go to Coburg, Collingwood and other areas due to lack of courts in Darebin's south. Picture: Dennis Manktelow

The project will come at a cost of $9.6 million.

Northcote state Labor MP Fiona Richardson said the courts would be a much-needed boost for women’s sport in the inner city.

However, Ms Richardson could not clarify where the courts would be built.

“Netball participation rates in the inner city are well below the state average, largely due to a lack of facilities.” - Fiona Richardson.

“If elected in November, Labor will encourage local schools, for example, to apply for funding under this program to provide additional netball court space,” Ms Richardson said.

On Wednesday, the Greens candidate for Northcote and current Darebin councillor, Trent McCarthy, announced his party’s commitment to a new $10 million indoor sports centre at the Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre (NARC).

Cr McCarthy said it would provide the much-needed courts for basketball, netball and other indoor sports.

“NARC is due to be redeveloped in coming years, so this provides us with an opportunity to increase basketball and netball facilities for local families,” Cr McCarthy said.

He said the Greens also backed calls to create a new local netball and basketball association.

“(It is) to support teams in the south of Darebin, where both sports are booming,” he said.

“Over a thousand residents have called for an indoor sports centre in the Northcote area, and that’s what we’re fighting for.” - Trent McCarthy

Cr McCarthy said in his role as a Darebin councillor, he had secured outdoor netball courts at the Darebin International Sports Centre.

Parkside Netball Club president Christine Johns said she was happy that both parties supported more netball courts for the area.

“The further inner north you go ... there is less and less available for girls,” Ms Johns said.

“There are four outdoor (netball) courts for the whole of Darebin. There is so much inequity when you look at the facilities around for boys and what they have access to in terms of football and cricket clubs ... there are really, really poor facilities for girls.”

Liberal candidate for Northcote Anthony D’Angelo did not return the Leader’s phone calls before deadline.