The Hon. Martin Pakula, Minister for Racing, Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, together with The Hon Bruce Atkinson MP, hosted a ‘Friends of Victory’ Parliamentary event at Parliament House on Tuesday night.
The annual event celebrates Melbourne Victory as a Club and its partnership with government in delivering community outcomes, most notably with a focus on growing women’s participation in football and supporting youth and cultural diversity in sport.
The attending Members of Parliament were thanked for their ongoing support by club officials including Chairman Anthony Di Pietro, Board members Mario Biasin, Richard Wilson & Caroline Carnegie, A-League and W-League Head Coaches Marco Kurz and Jeff Hopkins together with respective captains in Ola Toivonen and Natasha Dowie.
Melbourne Victory’s General Manager – Consumer, Community & Government Relations, Christina Smith further extended the clubs ongoing gratitude to the members of parliament for their continued support of Victory’s community initiatives.
“Firstly, on behalf of the Chairman and Board of Directors, we thank Minister Pakula and the Honourable Bruce Atkinson for hosting us,” said Smith.
“We know the impact sport has in a larger sense but also the importance of investing in community sport initiatives from a social value perspective.
“We are proud to deliver invaluable social connections and better health outcomes through our football programs, with people and communities in Victoria at the heart of what we do as club.
“We are grateful to the State Government for their ongoing support particularly of the advancement of women in football showcased by their $10M investment in our Women’s and Youth Community and Academy project at Footscray Park.
“Our close relationship with the Victorian government continues to allow us to grow the game and set the foundations for a stronger future for all Victorians.”
