Brunswick Labor.net

Babies and young families, home buyers and services are the big winners in the 2008-09 State Budget, Carlo Carli, Member for Brunswick said today.

“New figures released today show we are in the middle of a baby boom,” Mr. Carli said.

“Over 73,700 births recorded last year – the highest since 1971 and we are rolling out initiatives to make sure families have the services they need for their children.”

The Melbourne and Olympic Parks Amendment Bill is being debated in Parliament. The Bill makes some changes to facilitate the construction of Melbourne's Rectangular Stadium next to the current Olympic Park and will be used by Football and Rugby.

In periods of adversity communities pull together, and that is exactly what has been happening in Moreland amongst the 12 soccer clubs in the area. Those clubs have now established the Moreland football forum. Over the summer only four soccer pitches were being watered, and basically a number of clubs did not have any facilities, any grounds or any training areas. The teams and the clubs came together and started to share grounds and support each other in a period of adversity. They are also providing a unified voice to deal with the council to ensure that there is a contingency plan for watering next season that will sustain the various clubs.

The clubs are numerous. There are 12 clubs in the Moreland area.

I did a little estimate and found that there are 149 teams, with something around 2500 players; the vast majority are juniors; women and girls are the fastest growing component, which is growing at an exponential rate; and there is also all the growth that followed the World Cup and the success of the Socceroos.

The 12 clubs have set aside their sporting rivalries to work together in a common cause. They are working together in a time of adversity to ensure the viability and sustainability of world football in the Moreland area. I congratulate all 12 clubs for their willingness to work together.

Melbourne’s north could be home to a new premier league football facility with funding for a new study. Carlo Carli MP announced details of a ground breaking study into football (soccer) facilities across the north west region of metropolitan Melbourne at the football forum - a meeting of Moreland based football clubs at Dunstan Reserve in Brunswick West.

$60,000 has been provided by the State Government to enable Moreland, Moonee Valley and Hume Councils to consider and adopt a regional approach for the provision of premier league football facilities (soccer) in the north-west region of Melbourne.