The Allan Labor Government is backing the next generation of Aboriginal athletes in East Gippsland to reach new heights, by delivering a fresh round of sporting grants to clubs across the state. 

Member for Eastern Victoria Tom McIntosh today announced the grant recipients in East Gippsland from the latest round of the Aboriginal Sport Participation Grant Program – with clubs and groups statewide sharing in more than $100,000 to support athletes. 

Recipients include the East Gippsland All Blacks Football Netball Club, who will receive multiple grants to send teams to sporting tournaments and will receive further funding to buy new team uniforms. 

The club will receive $5,000 to allow it to send junior football and netball teams to a statewide championship in Bendigo, and a further $6,000 for its senior football and netball clubs to travel to a Portarlington statewide championship in October.
 
Other East Gippsland recipients include the Bairnsdale Regional Unlimited Sports (Aboriginal Corporation) who is receiving $7,890 for its junior football and netball clubs, and the Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation who will receive $750 on behalf of a local hockey player, to advance her career. 

The Aboriginal Sport Participation Grant Program reflects the Labor Government’s strong support for the Victorian Aboriginal community and is bolstered by the work underway on a new Victorian Aboriginal Sporting Partnership that’s building stronger connections in the community sport sector. 

Since 2020, the Aboriginal Sport Participation Grant Program has provided 457 grants to community sport clubs and individuals in Victoria’s Indigenous communities.             
            
For more information about the program and the latest successful recipients visit sport.vic.gov.au/funding/aboriginal-sport-participation-grant-program. 

Quote attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Tom McIntosh 

“These grants are a massive boost for East Gippsland Aboriginal athletes and clubs and will support multiple teams to travel to and participate in carnivals, giving them access to play and compete in the sports they love.” 

Quote attributable to Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence 

“The next generation of First Nations athletes are set to do their clubs and communities proud, and we are backing them to succeed with this game changing program.”  

Quote attributable to Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Natalie Hutchins 

“It’s fantastic to see even more Aboriginal athletes get their chance to follow in the footsteps of First Nations champions and reach their potential in the sport they love.” 

Quotes attributable to East Gippsland All Blacks Football Netball Club President Jeffery Walker 

“The East Gippsland Football Netball Club Aboriginal Corporation are very happy to receive this funding that will provide accommodation for our under-17s boys junior football team and our under-12s girls netball team competing at the 2024 VACSAL statewide junior football netball carnival held in Bendigo in September.”
 
“Thanks to this funding for our senior teams, we are excited to also be able to send four teams to this year’s VACSAL senior Football Netball Carnival held in Portarlington on October 5th/ 6th.” 

“East Gippsland All Blacks Football Netball Aboriginal Corporation will be able to provide accommodation to player and families playing for the East Gippsland All Blacks senior football netball teams competing at Portarlington.”