Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
But look a real change of pace because we know
the Northern Territory government have awarded local consultant Haims Sharlie
the three hundred and sixty one one thousand dollars contract
to drift a master plan for the Marara Sporting Precinct.
It's going to provide a roadmap for improved sporting infrastructure
for territorians and also established the precinct as an iconic
(00:21):
sporting facility for the Northern Territory. I reckon, it's a
fantastic thing to do.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Joining us on the line is the Department of People's
Sport and Culture, General Manager of Sport, Recreation and Strategic Infrastructure,
Mitch Hardy. Good morning to you, Mitch.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Morning Katie. How are you today?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
You're really good. Thank you so much for your time
this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Now, mich thanks for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Why is this master plan needed?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Well, I think it's really important that we have, as
you said earlier, a roadmap for the future for our
sporting facilities in the Mara Precinct. As we all know,
the precinct is widely used by the Greater Darwin community
and it's been a home to many families and generations
of families for sport participation, so to have that plan
for the future and be able to cater for expected
(01:09):
growth in the Greater Darwin region, but also to support
the sports that exist there and potentially look at other
activities and sports that can actually make that their home
as well. Yeah, right, is something that we're really looking
forward to exploring and having a bit of a plan
for the future.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Look, the thing I really like about it, and it's
something that you know, I suppose we're probably a bit
used to if you've lived here for quite a long time,
but when you're traveling to state and you go to
different sporting events, you realize that we're actually pretty lucky
to have so many sports in such close proximity to
each other, particularly if you're a parent like me that's
got one kid at one sporting pre seinct to men
(01:47):
another kid across the road somewhere else playing another sport.
But it's actually like it is such a great, a
great sporting complex to have. But I suppose, you know,
we've got to make sure that that infrastructure is up
to that it is at a standard that we need
it to be, and that we grow as the sporting
community grows.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Well that's right, and like everyone who's come to Darwin
who will be familiar with it's a real wow factor
when you go into there and see the various sporting
facilities that we have to offer. And now anyone who
comes from inter state or visitors from overseas are always
impressed about the way that the precinct's been set up
and the quality of facilities that we have. But as
you say, these facilities have been there for some time,
(02:28):
some are newer than others. That we have the fantastic
indoor network facility and the tennis center and the rugby
league stadium, but there are some aging facilities in amongst
that precinc that we need to have a look at.
And if we're going to be contributing to the next
eight or so years of major events around Australia and
contributing to what they're calling the Green and Gold Decade,
we need to make sure we've got the infrastructure in
(02:49):
place and only support visiting teams and potential international teams,
but also making sure our community still continues to have
access to really good quality facility and we support the
sports of putting so many hours both in paid and
volunteer time to make sure that they've got facilities de
catered for their sport.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah, one hundred percent. So much. What's this master plan
going to include?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Yeah, so we're going to have a look at the
individual sport facilities that make up the precinct and look
at the condition of those facilities and where the priority
items might be sitting. So as we're whare we're doing
a replacement turf to pitch to at the Hockey Center
early in twenty twenty five, so we'll be looking at
what the condition needs of the Hockey Center might be
(03:35):
about their long term future planning. I know Cricket have
got aspirations to look at their two cricket ovals at
the X Arena there. We're going to have a look
at TOO Stadium to look at the spectator, corporate and
obviously player amenity within and around the playing surface at
THEO Stadium because there's some aging infrastructure and change rooms
in that facility, and obviously we've got the Wanderers Club
(03:57):
and Sub Mary's Football clubs part of that facility as well.
Then we move over to the rugby Union rugby parks
and old facility. I played there some twenty twenty five
years ago. And it's still the same facility that was
what I played on there. So we've got lighting infrastructure
such as Darwin Football Stadium where we've had a League
games where have had to bring in temporary lighting to
(04:19):
make sure that those games are broadcast quality. So we've
got to look at the lighting and some of that work.
We'll look at the environmental solutions that we can put
in place as well. So the benefits of having led
lighting and reducing the costs to sports about having lights,
and as we all know with the environment up here
in Darwen, the more times we can spend playing under
lights and not in the heat of the day, it's
(04:41):
going to be beneficial for families, but also around the precinct.
We want to make sure spectators and families have a
positive experience and a really quality experience when they're coming
into the precinct as well. There's one footpath that runs
around the Aballa Loop.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
As you'd be familiar with i AM, and there's is
there too, which you know boot camps use and people
use that for some strengths and conditioning and physical exercise.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
So we want to make sure that the open drains
are looked at as part of that process, because there's
a lot of erosion around those big open drains in
the precinct. And also we want to make sure that
we've got amenity there so that if families are coming
into the precinc they can go for a walk or
do their exercise in a safe environment, but also have
a really quality experience. So we'll have a look at
(05:27):
some environmental factors. Maybe some smart technology is part of
that as well, be able to track users and making
sure that we've got good lighting and face secure space
for families to come park their cars and spend time.
That's something we have to look at as well.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
And Mitch, look before I let you go. I know
that most sports buy and larger, you know, pretty friendly
towards one another. But is there going to be a
bit of jostling here when it comes to you know,
which sports going to get some additional funding or which
sport's going to get some additional infrastructure. Is that kind
of going to be determined as we move down this pass.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Yeah. I think that's where Haim Charlie will really come
to the fore with their expertise and their consultancy process
will be key to that to make sure that all
the sports voices are heard and we get some independent
recommendations around the priority items. Obviously some sports will be
lobbying harder than others, but we're also going to need
to think about those sports that probably don't have a
(06:25):
strong visibility out there. I mean volleyball use Mara indoor
stadium for five nights a week. You've got a sport
like Bamington and are based over at Winnelly that are
at capacity. We've got some martial arts sports and sports
like gymnastics, So some of the smaller sports, it's really
important for them to have a voice as to what
their future needs might be and how they can potentially
(06:46):
either co locate or have a multi sports facility or
or leverage off existing ones. But also things like shade
and some of the smaller ticket projects we can maybe
bundle up as sort of minor project work that we
can do in I guess in a collaborative way. So
if one organization needs a bit to shade, there's probably
two or three others that probably have the same need.
(07:07):
So it's about capturing that and that's that consultancy process
will bring that to the full well.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
And look, it is such an important thing to invest in.
I think that sport infrastructure. We know that sport brings
so much to our community in so many different ways.
You know, first and foremost that physical activity and getting
kids involved in something really positive kids and adults. But
then even when you look at it, you know those
further steps down the track and you've got those big
international sporting events coming to the Northern territory. That's a
(07:35):
wonderful thing. And even some of those you know, other
tiers of sporting events coming to the end and bringing
that sports tourism like it it brings so much to
the community.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Yes, right, and it all fits together, so you've got
your participation base for all the families and the kids
out there, but you also got to bring those events
in and let the kids and families see their heroes
and feel a part of the Australine sporting land. I
think is really important. And there's some wonderful opportunities on
the horizon, and we've got to be smart about how
we invest in, who we invest with, and also look
(08:09):
at where we can attract other forms of investment, whether
it be private or federal as well as part of
this process, because we can't keep relying on the Northern
Territory government to keep paying for upgrades and maintenance facilities,
we need to be smarter about how we bring that
money in and improve the facilities without doing it all ourselves.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Yeah, good point well, Department of People, Sport and Culture,
General Manager of Sport, Recreation and Strategic Infrastructure, Mitch Hardy,
really appreciate your time this morning. Thanks so much for
having a chat with me.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Nice to talk to you, Katie having thank you you too.
But look a real change of pace because we know
the Northern Territory government have awarded local consultant Haims Sharlie
the three hundred and sixty one one thousand dollars contract
to drift a master plan for the Marara Sporting Precinct.
It's going to provide a roadmap for improved sporting infrastructure
for territorians and also established the precinct as an iconic
(00:21):
sporting facility for the Northern Territory. I reckon, it's a
fantastic thing to do.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Joining us on the line is the Department of People's
Sport and Culture, General Manager of Sport, Recreation and Strategic Infrastructure,
Mitch Hardy. Good morning to you, Mitch.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Morning Katie. How are you today?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
You're really good. Thank you so much for your time
this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Now, mich thanks for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Why is this master plan needed?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Well, I think it's really important that we have, as
you said earlier, a roadmap for the future for our
sporting facilities in the Mara Precinct. As we all know,
the precinct is widely used by the Greater Darwin community
and it's been a home to many families and generations
of families for sport participation, so to have that plan
for the future and be able to cater for expected
(01:09):
growth in the Greater Darwin region, but also to support
the sports that exist there and potentially look at other
activities and sports that can actually make that their home
as well. Yeah, right, is something that we're really looking
forward to exploring and having a bit of a plan
for the future.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Look, the thing I really like about it, and it's
something that you know, I suppose we're probably a bit
used to if you've lived here for quite a long time,
but when you're traveling to state and you go to
different sporting events, you realize that we're actually pretty lucky
to have so many sports in such close proximity to
each other, particularly if you're a parent like me that's
got one kid at one sporting pre seinct to men
(01:47):
another kid across the road somewhere else playing another sport.
But it's actually like it is such a great, a
great sporting complex to have. But I suppose, you know,
we've got to make sure that that infrastructure is up
to that it is at a standard that we need
it to be, and that we grow as the sporting
community grows.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Well that's right, and like everyone who's come to Darwin
who will be familiar with it's a real wow factor
when you go into there and see the various sporting
facilities that we have to offer. And now anyone who
comes from inter state or visitors from overseas are always
impressed about the way that the precinct's been set up
and the quality of facilities that we have. But as
you say, these facilities have been there for some time,
(02:28):
some are newer than others. That we have the fantastic
indoor network facility and the tennis center and the rugby
league stadium, but there are some aging facilities in amongst
that precinc that we need to have a look at.
And if we're going to be contributing to the next
eight or so years of major events around Australia and
contributing to what they're calling the Green and Gold Decade,
we need to make sure we've got the infrastructure in
(02:49):
place and only support visiting teams and potential international teams,
but also making sure our community still continues to have
access to really good quality facility and we support the
sports of putting so many hours both in paid and
volunteer time to make sure that they've got facilities de
catered for their sport.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah, one hundred percent. So much. What's this master plan
going to include?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Yeah, so we're going to have a look at the
individual sport facilities that make up the precinct and look
at the condition of those facilities and where the priority
items might be sitting. So as we're whare we're doing
a replacement turf to pitch to at the Hockey Center
early in twenty twenty five, so we'll be looking at
what the condition needs of the Hockey Center might be
(03:35):
about their long term future planning. I know Cricket have
got aspirations to look at their two cricket ovals at
the X Arena there. We're going to have a look
at TOO Stadium to look at the spectator, corporate and
obviously player amenity within and around the playing surface at
THEO Stadium because there's some aging infrastructure and change rooms
in that facility, and obviously we've got the Wanderers Club
(03:57):
and Sub Mary's Football clubs part of that facility as well.
Then we move over to the rugby Union rugby parks
and old facility. I played there some twenty twenty five
years ago. And it's still the same facility that was
what I played on there. So we've got lighting infrastructure
such as Darwin Football Stadium where we've had a League
games where have had to bring in temporary lighting to
(04:19):
make sure that those games are broadcast quality. So we've
got to look at the lighting and some of that work.
We'll look at the environmental solutions that we can put
in place as well. So the benefits of having led
lighting and reducing the costs to sports about having lights,
and as we all know with the environment up here
in Darwen, the more times we can spend playing under
lights and not in the heat of the day, it's
(04:41):
going to be beneficial for families, but also around the precinct.
We want to make sure spectators and families have a
positive experience and a really quality experience when they're coming
into the precinct as well. There's one footpath that runs
around the Aballa Loop.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
As you'd be familiar with i AM, and there's is
there too, which you know boot camps use and people
use that for some strengths and conditioning and physical exercise.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
So we want to make sure that the open drains
are looked at as part of that process, because there's
a lot of erosion around those big open drains in
the precinct. And also we want to make sure that
we've got amenity there so that if families are coming
into the precinc they can go for a walk or
do their exercise in a safe environment, but also have
a really quality experience. So we'll have a look at
(05:27):
some environmental factors. Maybe some smart technology is part of
that as well, be able to track users and making
sure that we've got good lighting and face secure space
for families to come park their cars and spend time.
That's something we have to look at as well.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
And Mitch, look before I let you go. I know
that most sports buy and larger, you know, pretty friendly
towards one another. But is there going to be a
bit of jostling here when it comes to you know,
which sports going to get some additional funding or which
sport's going to get some additional infrastructure. Is that kind
of going to be determined as we move down this pass.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Yeah. I think that's where Haim Charlie will really come
to the fore with their expertise and their consultancy process
will be key to that to make sure that all
the sports voices are heard and we get some independent
recommendations around the priority items. Obviously some sports will be
lobbying harder than others, but we're also going to need
to think about those sports that probably don't have a
(06:25):
strong visibility out there. I mean volleyball use Mara indoor
stadium for five nights a week. You've got a sport
like Bamington and are based over at Winnelly that are
at capacity. We've got some martial arts sports and sports
like gymnastics, So some of the smaller sports, it's really
important for them to have a voice as to what
their future needs might be and how they can potentially
(06:46):
either co locate or have a multi sports facility or
or leverage off existing ones. But also things like shade
and some of the smaller ticket projects we can maybe
bundle up as sort of minor project work that we
can do in I guess in a collaborative way. So
if one organization needs a bit to shade, there's probably
two or three others that probably have the same need.
(07:07):
So it's about capturing that and that's that consultancy process
will bring that to the full well.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
And look, it is such an important thing to invest in.
I think that sport infrastructure. We know that sport brings
so much to our community in so many different ways.
You know, first and foremost that physical activity and getting
kids involved in something really positive kids and adults. But
then even when you look at it, you know those
further steps down the track and you've got those big
international sporting events coming to the Northern territory. That's a
(07:35):
wonderful thing. And even some of those you know, other
tiers of sporting events coming to the end and bringing
that sports tourism like it it brings so much to
the community.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Yes, right, and it all fits together, so you've got
your participation base for all the families and the kids
out there, but you also got to bring those events
in and let the kids and families see their heroes
and feel a part of the Australine sporting land. I
think is really important. And there's some wonderful opportunities on
the horizon, and we've got to be smart about how
we invest in, who we invest with, and also look
(08:09):
at where we can attract other forms of investment, whether
it be private or federal as well as part of
this process, because we can't keep relying on the Northern
Territory government to keep paying for upgrades and maintenance facilities,
we need to be smarter about how we bring that
money in and improve the facilities without doing it all ourselves.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Yeah, good point well, Department of People, Sport and Culture,
General Manager of Sport, Recreation and Strategic Infrastructure, Mitch Hardy,
really appreciate your time this morning. Thanks so much for
having a chat with me.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Nice to talk to you, Katie having thank you you too.
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