Premier Ben Carroll is backing Labor’s conditional $55 million promise to upgrade facilities at three AFL clubs if the party is returned to power, as election day approaches, while one insider close to Labor’s negotiations said Hawthorn was the club most disappointed to be left off the AFL’s rumoured priority list.
Labor is promising $55 million to redevelop the homes of three AFL clubs if returned to power at the upcoming Victorian election. The largest share, $25 million, would go to North Melbourne's Arden Street base, Premier Carroll's team, with upgrades to community infrastructure including spectator amenities for AFLW games and additional car parking. St Kilda would receive $20 million for an indoor training facility for men's and women's teams, a four-court basketball centre, office space for the McKinnon Basketball Association, a potential cafe and a public car park. Essendon would get $10 million for the first stage of a precinct-wide redevelopment of Windy Hill, which the club hopes will become one of four dedicated venues for women's football.
The government expects the Windy Hill project would double the ground's capacity to at least 10,000 by 2029, with new broadcast lighting, upgraded video boards and enhanced match-day facilities. A St Kilda spokesperson said the club's vision was for RSEA Park to become the primary community sport and recreation hub in Melbourne's south. “Only Labor will make sure there are great venues for AFLW fans and great facilities for the local communities that surround them,” Carroll said.
A combined $35 million from federal, state and local governments went to Hawthorn's new base at Dingley Village, which opened late last year. Two sources told this masthead the three projects reflected the AFL's top three funding priorities, though the AFL has not confirmed this. Clubs not on that list, such as Geelong (chasing an indoor football centre) and Melbourne (which has paused plans for a base at Caulfield Racecourse), have struggled to gain traction.
Hawthorn, which owns its facility and the land at Dingley Village, has been seeking funding for a similar indoor multisport project in the City of Kingston, the same local government area as St Kilda. According to sources, the general understanding was that only one project, Hawthorn's or St Kilda's, could get up, as both required funding and support from the same council. Two people present at the council's October meeting said Hawthorn had sent more than 20 staff to sit in the audience. A council insider and a member of the basketball community said the Hawks had called around basketball clubs in the lead-up to the meeting to ask them to attend and advocate for their plan. A council motion to commit conditional funding for Hawthorn's project has been deferred twice and is expected back later this month. Kingston's new mayor, Tony Athanasopoulos, said the council would explore all options to deliver much-needed indoor sporting facilities. A Hawthorn spokesperson said the club had “advocated passionately and appropriately” for the project for years.
One councillor told this masthead they felt St Kilda's proposal was a safer bet because it was on council-owned land, had a stronger focus on community benefits and had appeared closest to securing a state-level funding commitment. The Liberals have not indicated whether they will make any election commitments to AFL clubs.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The funding promises could sway voters in marginal seats, particularly Bentleigh (where St Kilda operates) and Clarinda (where Hawthorn's Dingley Village is located).
- The decision highlights tensions between the AFL's priorities and individual clubs' aspirations, leaving some clubs disappointed and scrambling for alternative funding.
- Community sport infrastructure, including basketball courts and car parks, is a key election issue for local councils and sporting bodies.
Background
Premier Ben Carroll, a lifelong North Melbourne supporter, has championed the funding for his team's Arden Street base. The Victorian election is scheduled for late November 2026, and Labor is facing a tight race against the Liberals. The AFL has long pushed for better facilities for women's football and community sport, with the league identifying priority projects. Hawthorn's new Kennedy Community Centre at Dingley Village, opened in late 2025 with support from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, is the club's owned home, but it is seeking further investment for an indoor multisport facility.
Key Perspectives
St Kilda: said its vision for RSEA Park is to become the primary community sport and recreation hub in Melbourne's south, developed in consultation with Kingston Council.
Hawthorn: said it had advocated passionately and appropriately for its indoor multisport project for years, with a planning application and business case before the council.
Kingston Council: Mayor Tony Athanasopoulos said the council would explore all options to deliver much-needed indoor sporting facilities, including opportunities at Hawthorn's and St Kilda's bases.
Basketball Victoria: General manager of facilities and government relations Jake Keogh said he was pleased to see a new basketball facility in Kingston, where demand for courts had exceeded supply for years, and called for community sporting infrastructure to be a priority for future governments.
What to Watch
- The Kingston Council vote on Hawthorn's project, expected later this month, which could determine which club secures state support.
- Whether the Liberals match or counter Labor's $55 million commitment as the election nears.
- How the AFL responds to clubs left off its priority list, and whether alternative funding sources emerge.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedLabor promises $55 million to upgrade facilities at three AFL clubs if re-elected.WA Today - Latest News: “Labor is splashing the cash on AFL clubs as election day approaches, promising $55 million to upgrade the facilities of three teams should it be returned to power.”
- SupportedPremier Ben Carroll is backing Labor’s promise.WA Today - Latest News: “This masthead can reveal Premier Ben Carroll is throwing his support behind redeveloping St Kilda’s RSEA Park headquarters in Moorabbin, North Melbourne’s Arden Street home and Essendon’s Windy Hill site.”
- SupportedAn insider close to Labor’s negotiations said Hawthorn was the club most disappointed to be left off the AFL’s rumoured priority list.WA Today - Latest News: “But the club most disappointed to be left off the AFL’s priority list, according to one insider close to Labor’s negotiations, is Hawthorn.”
- SupportedCarroll said, “Only Labor will make sure there are great venues for AFLW fans and great facilities for the local communities that surround them.”WA Today - Latest News: ““Only Labor will make sure there are great venues for AFLW fans and great facilities for the local communities that surround them,” Carroll said.”
- SupportedNorth Melbourne would receive $25 million for upgrades to its Arden Street base.WA Today - Latest News: “North Melbourne – Carroll’s team – would receive the largest investment, with $25 million earmarked for upgrades to community infrastructure.”
- SupportedSt Kilda would receive $20 million for its proposed facilities at RSEA Park.WA Today - Latest News: “The Saints would get $20 million to build an indoor training facility for their AFL and VFL men’s and women’s teams, as well as local blind and wheelchair football teams.”
- SupportedEssendon would receive $10 million for the first stage of a Windy Hill precinct-wide redevelopment.WA Today - Latest News: “The final $10 million would go to the first stage of a “precinct-wide redevelopment” of Essendon’s Windy Hill”
- SupportedThe government expects the Windy Hill project to double capacity to at least 10,000 by 2029.WA Today - Latest News: “The government expects the Windy Hill project would double the ground’s capacity to at least 10,000 by 2029.”
- SupportedFederal, state and local governments contributed a combined $35 million to Hawthorn’s new base at Dingley Village.WA Today - Latest News: “The local, state and federal governments recently gave a combined $35 million for Hawthorn’s new home.”
- SupportedSources said only one of Hawthorn’s or St Kilda’s projects could get up because both needed funding and support from the same council.WA Today - Latest News: “Several sources said the general understanding was that only one project could get up – Hawthorn’s or St Kilda’s – as both required funding and support from the same council.”
- SupportedTwo people at Kingston Council’s October meeting said Hawthorn sent more than 20 staff to sit in the audience.WA Today - Latest News: “Two people present at the council’s October meeting said Hawthorn had sent more than 20 staff members to sit in the audience.”
- SupportedA motion to commit conditional funding for Hawthorn’s project had been deferred twice and was expected back later that month.WA Today - Latest News: “The motion to commit conditional funding for Hawthorn’s project has divided the council and been deferred twice. It is expected to return for consideration later this month.”