James Milligan MLA
Member for Yerrabi
Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation
Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory
Contents
What is Sportsground Maintenance
1. Sportsgrounds Are Under Significant Strain
2. Lack of Capacity and Growing Demand
3. Maintenance Standards Are Failing Community Expectations
4. Volunteer Burnout Is Becoming a Serious Problem
5. Vandalism Is Having a Major Community Impact
6. Planning and Coordination Require Reform
7. Community Infrastructure Must Reflect Modern Expectations
8. Aquatic Facilities Face Similar Challenges
9. Funding Priorities Need Greater Transparency
About this report
The Sportsground Roundtable:
The Canberra Liberals Sportsground Roundtable was held on June 4, at the Southern Cross Club in Woden. The Roundtable was a joint initiative between the Opposition Leader, Mark Parton MLA and the Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation, James Milligan MLA. It brought together over 70 representatives from over 40 different sporting clubs, associations and advocacy groups. It was conducted as a forum style event with participants contributing to a free-flowing discussion about the issues and solutions with ACT Sportsgrounds, their maintenance and their capacity.
What is Sportsground Maintenance:
Sportsground maintenance refers to all the necessary activities required to upkeep sportsgrounds to a standard where they can be safely used by the community. This can involve turf replacement, mowing, litter collection, line marking, irrigation plumbing, the cleaning of amenities and other activities.
These services are provided by Sportsground and Recreation Facilities (SRF) team in the City and Environment Directorate. The SRF team is responsible for managing 444 hectares of public land, 284 of which is irrigated.[1] The ACT Government sets out two annual maintenance periods after the summer and winter sporting seasons. These periods last for two weeks in which most sportsgrounds are unavailable to book while they undergo maintenance.[2]
ACT Government Responsibility:
The sportsground maintenance responsibilities of the ACT Government are outlined in the ‘ACT Sport and Recreation Sportsgrounds Charter’ last updated in October 2025.
“Sport and Recreation facilities will, as far as resources and climatic conditions allow, maintain ACT Government sportsgrounds and related facilities in a condition that is safe for use and suitable for the designated activity. In general, this means a firm surface with an even coverage of grass and no significant hazards in the form of holes or irregularities in the playing surface.”
The Charter also outline the Service Standards of the Sportsground and Recreation facilities team.
- Respond to phone or email enquiries within three working days. Emails are to be directed to sportsgrounds@act.gov.au
- Endeavour to process booking requests within seven working days, noting the peak bookings period after the summer and winter allocations process this may not be possible
- Have a 24-hour phone line (13 22 81) for reporting safety incidents or other emergency issues at sportsgrounds
- Rectify or mitigate reported safety hazards within three working days of the report (weather dependent)
- Formally inspect (or have inspected on our behalf) every sportsground and related facility, for which we are responsible, every two months
- Monitor the sportsgrounds office contact number 62075141 between 8 am – 4 pm[3]
Key Findings
1. Sportsgrounds Are Under Significant Strain
The most common issue raised throughout the roundtable was the deteriorating condition of sportsgrounds across Canberra.
Participants reported:
- Unsafe playing surfaces causing injuries.
- Poor drainage resulting in waterlogged grounds and closures.
- Fields being unavailable for extended periods.
- Overuse of existing facilities due to increasing participation.
- Difficulty maintaining turf quality despite volunteer efforts.
Many participants noted that sportsgrounds were not designed for the intensity of use they now experience, particularly with the growth of night competitions and year-round participation.
Several clubs reported having to relocate games or training due to ground conditions, creating inconvenience for players and families.
2. Lack of Capacity and Growing Demand
Representatives consistently highlighted that Canberra’s sporting infrastructure has not kept pace with population growth.
Concerns included:
- Not enough sportsgrounds available to service growing communities.
- Existing fields carrying unsustainable levels of usage.
- Limited activation of dryland ovals and underutilised spaces.
- Insufficient supporting infrastructure such as lighting, toilets and changerooms.
- Pressure on volunteers to find alternative venues and manage scheduling conflicts.
Participants stressed the need for a long-term strategy to increase sporting capacity while also delivering short-term solutions that can relieve pressure immediately.
3. Maintenance Standards Are Failing Community Expectations
Many sporting organisations described long-standing frustrations with maintenance standards.
Issues raised included:
- Inconsistent mowing and line marking.
- Weed infestations.
- Irrigation failures.
- Damaged playing surfaces.
- Poor responsiveness to maintenance requests.
- Lack of accountability when service standards are not met.
Several clubs stated they were paying full fees while not receiving the expected level of maintenance and were increasingly forced to undertake maintenance work themselves.
A recurring concern was that maintenance responsibilities are often unclear, leading to disputes between users, asset owners and government agencies.
4. Volunteer Burnout Is Becoming a Serious Problem
A significant theme throughout the roundtable was the growing burden placed on volunteers.
Participants reported volunteers are increasingly responsible for:
- Rectifying vandalism.
- Managing facility maintenance.
- Coordinating bookings.
- Addressing safety issues.
- Responding to community complaints.
Many volunteers expressed frustration that they are compensating for shortcomings in government maintenance and planning systems.
Several participants warned that volunteer fatigue presents a significant risk to the sustainability of community sport.
5. Vandalism Is Having a Major Community Impact
Vandalism emerged as one of the most significant concerns raised by participants.
Examples included:
- Burnouts on playing fields.
- Graffiti.
- Damage to changerooms and facilities.
- Theft and misuse of keys.
- Intimidating behaviour towards volunteers.
Sporting clubs reported that vandalism creates financial costs, emotional stress and significant disruption to community activities.
Representatives from the Australian Federal Police Association acknowledged the problem and noted that greater police resources and proactive policing would assist in reducing vandalism and antisocial behaviour.
Participants also highlighted the need to provide more positive recreational opportunities for young people to reduce offending behaviour.
6. Planning and Coordination Require Reform
Many stakeholders argued that Canberra’s current sportsground planning and booking systems are no longer fit for purpose.
Key concerns included:
- Fragmented booking arrangements.
- Lack of transparency around allocations.
- Poor coordination between sports.
- Inadequate planning for parking and transport.
- Failure to consider future growth areas.
Several participants advocated for a more centralised and collaborative approach to sportsground management that encourages sharing of facilities and better utilisation of existing assets.
7. Community Infrastructure Must Reflect Modern Expectations
Participants highlighted that many sporting facilities are outdated and no longer meet community expectations.
Examples included:
- Insufficient female-friendly changerooms.
- Lack of sanitary disposal facilities.
- Poor accessibility.
- Ageing clubrooms and amenities.
- Inadequate lighting and supporting infrastructure.
Stakeholders stressed that facility upgrades should reflect the increasing participation of women and girls in sport and support modern community standards.
8. Aquatic Facilities Face Similar Challenges
Representatives from the aquatic sector noted that many of the challenges facing sportsgrounds also affect swimming and aquatic facilities.
Concerns included:
- Loss of aquatic infrastructure.
- Delayed maintenance.
- Facility closures.
- Lack of consultation with aquatic users.
Participants called for genuine community engagement as part of future aquatic infrastructure planning.
9. Funding Priorities Need Greater Transparency
Several participants questioned whether current government funding allocations reflect community participation levels.
Issues raised included:
- Perceived imbalance between grassroots and elite investment.
- Need for greater transparency around funding decisions.
- Desire for increased investment in local facilities.
- Calls for a family sporting voucher scheme to reduce participation costs.
Many participants argued that investment should prioritise community participation and local infrastructure that directly benefits families.
[1] Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate Annual Report 2024-25, p 74
[2] ACT Government Sportsgrounds Service Charter, p 4
[3] ACT Government Sportsground Service Charter, p 2 & 3