Football Queensland has expressed its support for Nigel Dalton’s pledge of $800,000 to upgrade the carpark at Mackay Football Park, contingent on the LNP’s success in the November election.
This commitment aligns with Football Queensland’s 2024–2026 Infrastructure Strategy, released in August, and would fulfil a key element of the Mackay Football Park Master Plan, providing substantial benefits to the Whitsunday Coast football community.
The ground, based in Glenalla on the Whitsunday Coast, has a rich history and strong community ties. It has been longing for an upgrade and hosts many junior tournaments through the year.
FQ CEO Robert Cavallucci spoke about the importance of this funding and how it relates to the #EQUALISER campaign.
“As we continue advocating for infrastructure funding as part of Football Queensland’s statewide #EQUALISER initiative, investment in football facilities like Mackay Football Park plays a crucial role in supporting the ongoing growth of the game as the state’s largest participation sport,” Cavallucci said in a statement.
“The #EQUALISER initiative highlights the critical need for greater investment in football infrastructure to support the growing demands of the game, and Football Queensland remains committed to working with all levels of government to achieve strong outcomes for our football clubs and participants across the state.”
FQ General Manager of the Northern Region Craig Ramage echoed the statements of Cavallucci.
“Football Queensland welcomes the announcement by Nigel Dalton of an $800,000 funding commitment to upgrade the carpark at Mackay Football Park,” he said in a statement.
“With almost 3,400 members of the local football community visiting Mackay Football Park each week, an upgrade of the carpark will deliver significant benefits to our Whitsunday Coast participants and their families and help us improve the football experience for everyone involved in our beautiful game.”
Football Queensland’s State Election #EQUALISER Campaign continues to drive advocacy for football, community football infrastructure and facility investments from candidates in every electorate.
Clearly the campaign is having success, benefitting 16 grassroots clubs across Queensland with sizeable funding (ranging from $150,000 to $3.8m) from local councils and the state government.
This is another example of political parties pledging to invest a great amount of money to grow the state’s largest participation sport, with an international tournament around the corner.
Football Queensland continue to lead the way in the football business spectre, ensuring that the sport grows at all levels and that governments, who historically neglected football, are starting to put it into focus.
