All sporting clubs based at HBF Arean in Joondalup are facing a significant increase in costs for the coming 2023/24 season. This stands to threaten the viability of many clubs.

As relocation is not an option for most clubs, without any significant change they will either have to pass these costs onto members or potentially cease operation.

We are calling for all fees for not-for-profit community clubs to be waived in their entirety. 

These costs result from the very high ground hire fees that we are already charged by VenuesWest (a state government run facility). Until now, the City of Joondalup has given junior sporting clubs a 50% rebate on these fees.

However, the City of Joondalup has now changed its policy, which in part removes this rebate for all club at HBF Arena and across the City of Joondalup. In addition, VenuesWest are also increased these fees by 11%.

As a result of these changes, ground hire fees will increase by 2.22 times in 2024. Ground hire fees will be almost 7 times more than the clubs based at City of Joondalup active reserves. 

These substantial cost increases cannot be absorbed by community sporting clubs and can only be recouped though an increase in subscription fees. With rising household costs and other cost of live pressures, it is completely unreasonable that parents trying to support their children in community sport will be asked to pay these costs.

It is only fair and reasonable that the ground hire fees at HBF Arena are waived in their entirety to match that of fees for community sports based within city reserves.

As a result of these fee changes, it is unlikely clubs can survive without immediate action.