Shadow Minister for Finance Jim Chalmers and Labor Candidate for Chisholm Jennifer Yang have today announced a Shorten Labor Government will contribute $5 million to the redevelopment of Box Hill City Oval.

Box Hill City Oval is a key facility for women’s sport in Melbourne’s east, home to the reigning VFLW Premiership team, the Hawthorn Hawks, and the Box Hill Cricket Club – the home club for Australian women’s cricket captain Meg Lanning.

Labor’s commitment to help fund the $22.6 million upgrade is a massive step forward in promoting female participation in Australian Rules football and cricket in Chisholm.

Our investment will help build the first Aussie Rules ground in Melbourne’s east that caters for competition grade women’s football - something desperately needed, with female participation in the sport surging by 335 per cent in 2017 in the area.

Labor knows that to address the gender gap, we need more women on our sporting fields, in our boardrooms and in our Parliament. This funding provides an opportunity to develop a state-level community and sporting precinct that supports diversity and equality.

Alongside the women’s teams, Box Hill City Oval is home to the Box Hill Hawks, the Eastern Ranges Football Club and the Box Hill Cricket Club. Labor’s commitment will help build an oval that will cater for the rapid growth of these teams, accommodating thousands of new players from the entry to elite level.

Labor’s investment will not only bring jobs to Chisholm during the construction phase of the project, but will also allow for VFL and VFLW finals games to be played at the oval – a major drawcard for the Box Hill area.

The Liberals have spent the past three years ignoring this vital project. Only Jennifer Yang and Labor can be trusted to stand up and get things done for the electorate of Chisholm.