ACT government defends indoor sport spending in wake of petition calling for Woden multi-purpose centre

Basketball ACT was one of several local sporting organisations to throw its support behind the petition, citing a severe lack of available facilities which had led to players being turned away from the game.

But Andrew Barr's government, which is now considering the petition which had drawn more than 2000 signatures when tabled by Greens MLA Emma Davidson, said it had a proven track record when it came to providing indoor facilities in the capital.

Recent spending has included a $3 million grant to Basketball ACT, to build 3x3 outdoor courts at its Belconnen base, and to help construct a show court at the National Convention Centre.

Investment in school facilities has also been a priority, including a $13.6m expansion at Amaroo School, completed in early 2018, which included a revamped gymnasium offering two basketball courts which were available for community use.

"The ACT government has a strong track record and long-standing commitment to delivering basketball infrastructure and supporting participation of junior players in the ACT," a government spokesperson said.

"There are a number of new and upgraded ACT government schools expected to be delivered in the next three to four years.

"The facilities at each of these schools will be available for community hire (including by Basketball ACT and its affiliated clubs) outside of school hours."

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Some of those projects include the opening of Throsby School in 2022, East Gungahlin High School due to open in 2023, and North Gungahlin High in Taylor to open a year later - all of which will boast indoor facilities.

The government is also in the process of modernising Garran Primary School and is planning to erect more schools in Woden, Ginninderry and Molonglo - all of which will provide indoor sporting facilities.

Basketball ACT chief David Simpson described his sport's lack of available courts as "pretty demoralising" last month, and said the construction of a multi-sport facility at Woden, as called for by the petition, would reduce the strain caused by a lack of courts.

Woden's indoor stadium was approved for demolition in 2016, and the region has suffered from a significant lack of facilities since.

"That left just the Southern Cross Stadium in Tuggeranong, and the Belconnen Basketball Stadium as Canberra's only dedicated centres for multi-purpose sport," Davidson said.

"The community has been advocating for an indoor multi-use sports facility in Woden for years and it's a privilege to elevate their voices.

"This petition is an opportunity to talk about how we can better meet the sporting and recreational needs of the Woden region, where the population is bigger and more diverse than ever before.

"Community sports play such an important role to connect our community - providing an inclusive and accessible space where we can work collectively towards shared goals and to overcome setbacks.

"This is why community voices matter in shaping sports and recreation infrastructure decisions."

Fellow Greens MLA Johnathan Davis, the party's spokesperson for sport and recreation, said the government needed a stronger future vision to cater for the growth of sport in an expanding capital.

"The Assembly has seen a number of petitions related to community sport infrastructure over the last year," Davis said.

"What this demonstrates is the clear need for a long term strategic plan for the building and maintenance of community sport infrastructure across Canberra.

"Community sports shouldn't feel compelled to lobby against one another for facilities or for funding.

"Instead, community sport should be invited to work collaboratively with government to ensure equity and transparency of facilities and of funding."

The Legislative Assembly's first sitting week of 2022 begins on February 8.

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