I support the motion moved by the member for Pittwater. I am grateful to her for bringing this matter to the attention of the House. In December 2023 the New South Wales Office of Sport called me to advise of the immediate closure of the synthetic athletics track at the Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation due to bubbling of the track surface. It remains closed.

The reality is that this site is in a somewhat challenging location—close to sea level, next to the Narrabeen Lagoon and subject to more regular flooding thanks to a changing climate. Drainage is, and will continue to be, a challenge. I share the frustration of many in the community that, whilst it was swiftly closed down for investigation and repair, some 18 months later the track is still closed and we are honestly no clearer on when it might open. We have received just promises that it will be fixed, and for the long term—not a patch‑up job—but we need certainty. We need this track fixed now.

Transparency is not a dirty word. The impact of the track closure on the community is significant. The track is used for school athletics carnivals for the entire region, including the entire North Shore, as well as for athletics clubs of all ages and abilities. Many athletics clubs have been hit hard by the closure and say it has resulted in a 40‑plus per cent drop in participation. We know that in an average year the track is used by no less than 18,000 kids during school carnivals; 18,200 kids for Little Athletics programs; nearly 6,000 users for private coaching; and almost 11,000 casual users, who include Special Olympics and other disability groups. All those athletes are now having to either drive an extra two hours to train at Homebush or the E.S. Marks field, as members heard, or use the grass alternative, which compromises performance and is often waterlogged—or worse, cancel their carnivals, like many schools have had to do very recently.

In addition to servicing thousands in our community and making athletics accessible to everyone, this facility is also crucial as we nurture our elite talent, including in preparation for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. It is a pathway for local and State talent. It is a lot of things to a lot of people. That is why it is important that the motion notes that the track must be repaired immediately, and to international standards. The latest official Government update sent to stakeholders a few days ago stated, "The Office of Sport and New South Wales Government continue to assess options for track repair and re‑opening which have been informed by key user group feedback." Members can imagine how that went down with the regular users.

The lack of urgency and clarity around reopening of the track is very disappointing. This is the type of bureaucratic ambivalence that the community and other user groups have been dealing with for over 18 months. It is understandable that their patience has worn thin. People just want an honest answer, such as, "Here is design one, here is design two, here is design three. We will advocate for what you want but, just so you know, we will be constrained by when the budget is announced. We don't know what the budget is. In any of the options presented, the expectation is that with the insurance cheque, we will begin construction and—insert a date here." Give us a time frame. It is pretty simple and pretty transparent. It would allow people to plan. It would give people certainty and clarity. It manages expectations—no more, no less. That is all we want.

I have been calling for swift action from the Government since the track's closure. I have met with the Minister, the Premier and the Treasurer. All are keen to make it happen, but all are guided by the bureaucracy, which I get—but the bureaucracy is guided by the budget. I feel like I actually live in an episode of Utopia. We just want an answer and a timeline. In November 2024, in our first act of shared advocacy, the member for Pittwater and I wrote to the Premier asking for the track to be fixed. Today this debate should send another clear message to the Government that this must be prioritised.

The motion also refers more broadly to the need for access to high quality sporting infrastructure, which is a big issue on the beaches. A Sportsground Needs Analysis produced by Northern Beaches Council in 2016 identified that with only 116 hectares devoted to sports fields across the local government area, there is currently a shortage of 24 hectares, or around 24 sports fields, given the size of the population. That assessment found that more than 50,000 people from 17 sports are using sports fields on the northern beaches, and that that figure has grown considerably since. For example, we know the waiting lists to join basketball and football are overflowing. Thousands and thousands of kids and adults are missing out on playing sport. It is why I am so focused on delivering the new multipurpose facility at Northern Beaches Secondary College Cromer Campus, which will also have multiple basketball courts for shared use by the community. That is why I am so focused on securing the upgrade for County Road Reserve, which will install change rooms and field lighting so female sports, in particular, as well as night matches and training can be held there.

Stepping back, I am really proud of and encouraged by the level of demand for sports facilities on the beaches. Participating in organised sport is perhaps the greatest antidote to deteriorating mental health and social isolation. Investing in infrastructure that brings people together to connect, be physically active and focus on their goals really is public money well spent. During COVID, we saw the value of that investment in places like Lionel Watts Park and Melwood Oval, where considerable investment by council transformed the precincts. We were able to cater for everyone's needs, including passive recreation, dogs and even horses.

Read the full debate here.