$458,000 grant for Bundaberg Rowing Club

Teamwork between two Federal Liberal and Nationals Members has delivered more than $450,000 to the Bundaberg Rowing Club to help fund a major upgrade of the club’s hard infrastructure.

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt and Federal Member for Flynn Ken O’Dowd jointly lobbied for funding to help the club cover the entire cost of the major works.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the result was due to the hard work of the two LNP members and would help drive increased participation in rowing the Bundaberg region.

“We want to get more Australians more active more often and increased investment in local sporting facilities will help attract more people to come and get involved in not just rowing but all sports and physical activities,” Mr McCormack said.

Mr Pitt said the upgrade at the facility on the Burnett River in Bundaberg would not only benefit the members of the rowing club, but also the local high schools which train and compete there.

“In Bundaberg, a custom rowing pontoon gangway and pontoons will mean safer access to the water for all users and will attract more juniors, seniors and masters to the sport.

“An upgrade to the sewerage system at the Bucca facility, as well as the installation of a solar system and a new storage shed, will assist Bundaberg Rowing Club as it hosts participants from around the local area and the country, for events and training camps,” Mr Pitt said.

Mr O’Dowd said the investment in the Rowing Club was an investment in the future of the community.

“This club has a long and proud history is a much-loved part of the community. Being a member of the only political party dedicated to representing regional communities, I understand how much time and effort goes into maintaining and upgrading community sporting facilities, which is why it’s fantastic to see such a significant sum invested in the Bundaberg Rowing Club project,” Mr O’Dowd said.

Mr O’Dowd said the $100 million Community Sport Infrastructure program had already supported more than 450 grassroots sporting projects across the nation.

“The program is being used to upgrade and improve local sporting facilities right across Australia, and I’m proud to have helped get our fair share for Bundaberg. Being able to provide financial support from the Government certainly lifts a burden from the shoulders of ratepayers, club members and the general community,” he said.

“Only a Liberal Nationals government can make these important investments in community sporting infrastructure because of our responsible economic management which lets us re-invest in regional communities that deliver so much wealth to our nation.”

FAST FACTS

• 14 million Australians participate in sport annually

• Around 1.8 million volunteers give up around 158 million volunteer hours each year

• Around 220,000 Australians employed across the sports sector – the same as the mining industry

• Sport provides an estimated $83 billion in economic, health and educational benefits each year with a return of $7 for every dollar invested

• More than 8 million Australians use community sporting infrastructure each year

• Community sport employs 57,000 people, contributing $5.5 billion in increased economic activity, $4.9 billion in personal health benefits and $4.2 billion in social capital uplift.