$350,000 promise for Mackay Football Park

JUNE 2, 2016: Mackay Football Park will be thrown a lifeline by a re-elected Coalition Government, as I have announced today that $350,000 would be provided to get all soccer fields to an acceptable playing standard.It was always going to be a work in progress for Mackay Regional Football Zone to have a fully functioning football facility with a series of green turfed fields, and the hardworking volunteers who keep the sport going in Mackay have copped some unfair criticism over the state of those fields. I’m happy to announce that a re-elected Liberal National Coalition Government will step in to help more than 1700 junior players and their families by providing $350,000 which will be adequate to turf and irrigate five full-size playing pitches, and start the process of providing lighting at Mackay Football Park at Glenella.The funding commitment will provide enough playing fields to cover the needs of all teams from the Under 6s right through to Under 16s.The delivery of $1 million to assist with the relocation of the Mackay Regional Football Zone club house and fields away from the more dangerous location at Barbour Park in the airport’s flight path was an election promise I fulfilled in 2014.That relocation to the new purpose-built facility has been accomplished and we celebrated the opening of the new clubhouse with canteen, toilets, change rooms and hall in March.Today the Liberal National Government is committing to extra support for this new facility to address the safety concerns of parents over the new fields, and begin the process of lighting those fields for maximum benefit.I look forward to working with Scott Mealy and the team at Mackay Regional Football Zone to deliver more state and federal funding for the full lighting upgrade as this will enable Mackay to host regional, national and state events.