Six ACT community clubs will receive more than $950,000 from the ACT Government to diversify their income away from gaming machines, in the latest funding round of the Diversification and Sustainability Support Fund.

• Canberra Labor Club – $150,000 to develop a conference centre at the Mercure Hotel, Belconnen, as a new revenue stream.
• Canberra North Bowling and ACT Rugby Union Club – $200,000 to significantly upgrade kitchen and multipurpose areas and install a new café.
• Canberra Southern Cross Club – $100,000 to develop the Corinna St frontage of their Woden club with an outdoor dining area. The space also meets an objective of the Woden Town Centre Master Plan to encourage buildings that makes streets and open spaces safer and more welcoming.

“Creating attractive outdoor hospitality spaces is something we are passionate about at the Canberra Southern Cross Club,” CEO Ian Mackay said.

“We have achieved this already at our Southern Cross Yacht Club, Snapper & Co, and Jamison venues, and this funding will bring to life a new ‘urban oasis’ in the Woden town centre to be enjoyed year-round by our local community.”

• Croatia Deakin Soccer Club – $175,000 to redesign and rebuild the main entry, including installing an airlock doorway to reduce running costs and conserve energy, and to install a lift to make the upper floor accessible to non-ambulant clientele.

“The grant will greatly assist the club with improved access to the ground floor and first floor meeting and function rooms for people with disabilities and other members,” general manager Mark Herrick said.

“These improvements will allow us to significantly increase our patronage.”

• Eastlake Football Club – $150,000 to install solar panels at three clubs to significantly reduce running costs.
• Murrumbidgee Country Club – $200,000 to construct an indoor golf facility to extend the availability of lessons and practice ranges which would otherwise be restricted to fine weather and warmer months.

Shane Rattenbury, ACT Minister for Gaming, said the ACT Government is committed to reducing harm from electronic gaming machines.

“The government is implementing a gaming harm reduction agenda, working with clubs to reduce the number of gaming machines, and to introduce bet limits,” Mr Rattenbury said. “An important part of this is helping clubs to transition to revenue streams that don’t involve gaming.”

The Diversification and Sustainability Support Fund was established in 2019 to help clubs diversify their income to sources other than gaming machines; support the sustainability of clubs; contribute to projects that help reduce regulatory costs or improve efficiency in administration and compliance for clubs; and train and develop skills of club workers, executives, and members of club management committees and boards.