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BUILDING ‘GRIT’ PAGE 14
The Premier of Victoria, Jacinta Allan (pictured), and the Minister for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas, visited Latrobe Regional Hospital last Friday, March 15, to officially open the ‘world-class’ $223.5 million expansion. STORY - PAGE 3
Games ‘losers’ vent their anger By ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC
THE cancellation of the Commonwealth Games was a “very big low” for the Latrobe Valley Badminton Association and the broader community, the association's president, Garry Silvester, told the parliamentary inquiry into the 2026 Commonwealth Games bid, held in Traralgon last week. Mr Silvester said the cancellation was a blow to him personally and a “missed opportunity” for the region, and he remained uncertain how Latrobe Valley Badminton would benefit from the Commonwealth Legacy planning. He was speaking in testimony to the parliamentary committee into the Commonwealth Games Bid in Traralgon's Century Inn last Thursday, March 14. The Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium (GRISS) was to host the Games’ Badminton. His comments came before the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major
Events, visited the GRISS on Monday to announce the scope of the state government's reinvestment into Gippsland following the Games' cancellation. Though still in the planning stage, the state government has made a commitment to upgrade four major sporting facilities in the Latrobe Valley including the GRISS, Morwell's Gippsland Sports and Entertainment Park (GSEP), Ted Summerton Reserve in Moe and the Morwell Gun Club. Mr Silvester said the Latrobe Valley Badminton Association had hoped that hosting the Games would influence “much-needed upgrades” for their local sport, including lightning, line-marking, storage and court availability. Now, the association's participation is restricted as court-suitable access remains a continual barrier to the club’s numbers. Latrobe City Council Mayor, Councillor Darren Howe, who attended the Tourism Minister's announcement,
said the Latrobe Valley Badminton Association would be among the local sporting clubs that would benefit from the state government's investment. The president of the Flacons 2000 Soccer Club, Tony Salvatore, echoed Mr Silvester’s concerns and “disappointment” after the announcement of the Games’ cancellation, but the club will also receive upgrades with their home located at GSEP. The state government said it would deliver a new pavilion and upgraded pitches complete with lighting and increased visitor capacity, boosting local jobs and businesses and the region’s economy as thousands of visitors flock to Gippsland. Falcons’ ground was meant to receive major upgrades while hosting the Rugby 7s. The state government has confirmed these projects will continue, but Mr Salvatore said he would prefer a concrete timeline. It wasn’t only sporting clubs that
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were severely impacted by the Commonwealth Games fiasco. The owner of the Farnham Court Motel, Katie Reardon, gave evidence of her wasted time and efforts signing a contract to host Team England only a day before the cancellation announcement. “It was embarrassing … It was just awful to have to tell them (Team England),” she told the committee. Ms Reardon said the state’s decision to cancel the Games was “cruel” and spoke on the lost credibility that the state faces. Not only did Ms Reardon have contracts signed, but the hotel owner also spent time preparing specialised plans to cater to Team England. The sporting clubs echoed Ms Reardon’s struggle, with many local organisations consisting of mainly volunteers wasting their time to plan for an event that was inevitably never going to happen. Continued - Page 2
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