Netball Australia welcomes funding commitment

The Federal Coalition has committed $300,000 to Netball Australia for the acquisition of a portable netball court, a move set to expand access to elite netball across Queensland’s regional areas.

This funding is expected to transform the way the sport is delivered, bringing major netball events closer to local communities.

The portable court will enable Netball Australia and Netball Queensland to host international matches and fixtures from the Suncorp Super Netball League in regional locations such as Cairns, the Gold Coast, and Townsville.

This will provide fans in these areas the opportunity to watch top-tier netball up close, further expanding the sport’s reach.

Liz Ellis AO, chair of Netball Australia, highlighted that the funding would also support an increase in capacity at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, enabling it to accommodate around 9,000 spectators for major netball events.

Netball remains Australia’s leading sport for women and girls, with over one million participants nationwide, including about 60,000 in Queensland. Both the Queensland Firebirds and the Sunshine Coast Lightning have seen record membership numbers this season, signaling strong growth in the sport.

Leanne Coddington, chair of Netball Queensland, expressed gratitude for the Coalition’s support and outlined plans to further expand the sport’s reach through strategic partnerships and new infrastructure projects.

“Netball Queensland appreciates the Coalition’s investment. We’ve already identified opportunities to host preseason Suncorp Super Netball matches in regional areas next year, and we’re excited to collaborate with Netball Australia to bring more world-class netball to fans throughout Queensland,” Coddington said.

This significant investment ensures that more Queenslanders will have the chance to experience world-class netball in their own communities, paving the way for continued growth in the sport.

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