5th October 2026
Author: Maree DeGeorge
Close to 100 people registered for Basketball Victoria’s inaugural Local Government Conference, with 60 per cent of Victorian councils represented in a statewide conversation about basketball’s continued growth and its role in building stronger communities.
Melbourne, VICTORIA – Following close to 100 registrations, Basketball Victoria welcomed representatives from 60 per cent of Victorian councils to the State Basketball Centre for its inaugural Local Government Conference on Wednesday 23 September.
With attendees travelling from across metropolitan and regional Victoria—including some making a journey of more than three hours—the strong turnout reflected a shared commitment to creating healthier, more active and better-connected communities.
For Basketball Victoria, the conference was an important milestone and the beginning of a closer, more consistent relationship with local government.
It created a space for councils, community basketball, government and private enterprise to share knowledge, speak openly about the challenges they face and explore what can be achieved by working together.
Basketball Victoria CEO Nick Honey said the conference was designed to be a genuine conversation rather than simply another presentation about the growth of the sport.
“We didn’t want the day to be about simply telling councils that basketball is growing or that we need more courts,” Honey said.
“We wanted it to be a useful and open conversation, a chance to ask questions, learn from one another and look at how we can continue to improve the way we plan and deliver for our communities.”
Basketball Victoria supports Australia’s largest basketball community, with more than 500,000 people participating across the state each week through more than 140 affiliated associations.
Those figures tell an important story about the scale of the game, but the impact of basketball reaches much further.
It can be seen in a child joining a team for the first time, a teenager finding confidence and connection, a volunteer supporting their local club or a family discovering a place where they feel they belong.
Continued growth also brings significant challenges. Victoria is facing an estimated shortage of around 220 basketball courts, with associations across metropolitan and regional communities managing waiting lists, late-night scheduling and regular byes because there is not enough space to meet demand.
The conference explored different ways that demand could be addressed from new and expanded venues to shared-use facilities, covered outdoor courts and better use of the spaces communities already have.
Councils received participation data specific to their municipality and heard about basketball growth, partnership opportunities, facility planning, funding and advocacy.
Whitehorse City Council also shared how its work with Nunawading Basketball Association and Basketball Victoria helped secure a $45 million federal funding commitment for the redevelopment of Nunawading Basketball Centre.
The case study showed what can happen when local government, a basketball association and the state sporting body come together around a shared vision, strong evidence and a clear understanding of what their community needs.
The value of the day was not only found in the formal sessions. It was also in the questions asked, the experiences shared around the tables and the new connections made between people working towards many of the same outcomes.
Basketball Victoria General Manager, Government, Strategy and Innovation, Jake Keogh, said the response to the first conference reinforced the importance of continuing those conversations.
“What stood out was how willing everyone was to share their experiences openly, not only what is working, but where the real challenges are and where we can help one another,” Keogh said.
“This conference was never intended to be a one-off event. It was about building stronger relationships with councils, understanding what matters in their communities and creating practical ways to keep working together.
“We’re proud of what the day achieved and excited about where these conversations can lead.”
The program also included a tour of the State Basketball Centre and concluded with a Wheelchair Basketball Come and Try activity, giving attendees the opportunity to experience another important part of the game and see the difference accessible and inclusive facilities can make.
The conference reflected the ideas at the heart of Basketball Victoria’s Together We Raise the Game campaign: Ask. Learn. Improve.
No council, association or sporting organisation has every answer. By listening to one another, sharing knowledge and continuing to improve together, stronger outcomes can be created for basketball and the wider community.
“We won’t solve Victoria’s court shortage in one day,” Honey said.
“But getting the right people in the same room, sharing what we know and starting these conversations is an important step.”
Basketball Victoria has since shared conference resources, key information and individual participation data with councils across the state, including those unable to attend on the day.
Building on the conversations started at the conference, Basketball Victoria will now work alongside councils and associations to update its facility and infrastructure priorities for 2027, ensuring local needs help inform a coordinated approach to future planning and advocacy.
The inaugural conference was an important first step and the conversations, relationships and work that follow will be what gives the day its lasting value.
Ask. Learn. Improve. Together, We Raise the Game.
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