Constituency Statement: Northern Suburbs Football Association

Last Thursday night I joined a couple of hundred constituents at the live site at the St Ives Village Green to watch the Matildas and Nigeria match on the big screen. That was obviously an opportunity to express my support for the Matildas. The result last Thursday night was disappointing, but of course there has been a most terrific outcome in the most recent match against Canada. We are all very excited for what the future might hold. We hope they go even further.

This is also an opportunity for me to express my appreciation of the Northern Suburbs Football Association, which initiated this live site. In this case they worked with the Ku-ring-gai Council. There have been a number of other such sites in my electorate and in surrounding areas. That is just one small part of the extraordinary work done by the Northern Suburbs Football Association, which since 1957 has played a pivotal role in developing participation in the world game across the northern suburbs of Sydney.

From Asquith at the northern end of my electorate to Gordon and points much further south, the association organises football competitions for men, women, mixed teams, boys and girls for some 30 member clubs. There's a very strong focus on community inclusion. For example, they have established monthly frame football events. This is an inclusive game where children who use a walker or frame can participate and enjoy football. I think one of the reasons there is such strong support for the Matildas is that it reflects the very high levels of community participation in football, and that has been growing strongly in my electorate of Bradfield, as it has all around Australia.

On 15 July I attended a Stewart Close Cup match held at Auluba Oval in South Turramurra. The local derby match was hard-fought between Kissing Point Football Club and West Pymble Football Club. There was great support there and great community spirit, as is the case for all of the matches held under the auspices of the Northern Suburbs Football Association.

I acknowledge the President, Ian Plant, and other committee members. Ian, along with board member Dimitrios Gongolidis, hosted me at the visit to the live site. I also acknowledge the recently appointed chief executive Kevin Johnson. Most importantly, I acknowledge the thousands of my constituents, families and others involved in playing football on the North Shore of Sydney. I also acknowledge the volunteers, the referees, the administrators and the parents who get their kids to and from matches. Football has very strong community support across Australia, and that is certainly the case in my electorate of Bradfield.