Rockingham basketball upgrade as by-election looms

WA Labor has committed to a $10 million upgrade at Rockingham’s Mike Barnett Sporting Complex, a week out from the by-election that will decide Mark McGowan’s replacement in state parliament.

The spend at the home of NBL1 team the Rockingham Flames was announced over the weekend by Premier Roger Cook, Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman and by-election candidate Magenta Marshall.

The facility’s roof will be replaced at a cost of $2 million, with a remaining $8 million used to construct new courts for a range of sports including basketball, netball and volleyball.

The work follows resurfacing of the outdoor netball courts and installation of flood lighting at the facility last year, and comes as WA Labor enters the final week of its bid to retain what’s been billed the nation’s safest Labor seat, vacated by Mr McGowan following his resignation in May.

Mr McGowan won Rockingham with a 37.7 per cent two-party preferred majority over Liberal candidate Michael McClure at the 2021 state election.

The ALP had previously held the seat at the 2017 election with a 23.5 per cent margin and has represented the electorate since its introduction in 1974.

Just two members, Mr McGowan and Mike Barnett – after whom the sporting complex is named – have represented Rockingham in parliament.

Other by-election candidates, including high-profile independent and current City of Rockingham Deputy Mayor Hayley Edwards and Liberal Party WA contender Peter Hudson, have suggested in recent weeks that Rockingham has missed out on community investment compared with more marginal electorates.

Speaking at the announcement of the sports complex investment, Ms Marshall made a point to highlight the government’s previous spend at the facility.

“Last year, Mark McGowan resurfaced the outdoor netball courts here and installed floodlighting so that the netball courts could have extended use,” she said.

“In his first term of government he delivered funding to resurface the indoor basketball courts and install sprung flooring.

“Rockingham deserves to continue to have a local member in government that’s able to deliver for them, and that’s what I’m able to promise.”

The government committed $100 million towards upgrades at the Rockingham and Safety Bay senior high schools in the 2023 state budget.

Uncertainty around the implementation of Aboriginal cultural heritage laws from July 1 have also been a subject of political contention in the lead up to the vote.

Mr Cook acknowledged the laws could play on people's minds as they vote in the electorate, but said all elections had their points of contention.

“Every by-election has its own mix of issues, both local and broader, in relation to what impacts upon peoples’ votes and the thoughts that they take into the polling booth,” Mr Cook said.  

He said the party was taking nothing for granted despite its strong history in the electorate.

The results of a 1,000-person phone poll conducted last week by Utting Research suggested a resurgence of support for the Liberal Party since the end of Mr McGowan's tenure in May, with AAP reporting the Liberals had a shock 54 per cent to 46 per cent two-party preferred lead over the government 20 months out from the 2025 state election. 

Early voting is now open for the Rockingham by-election, with the vote to take place this Saturday July 29.