The NSW Government officially launched the Parliamentary Friends of Football – Northern NSW & Newcastle Jets at NSW Parliament House on Thursday 14 May. The launch brought together Members of Parliament from northern NSW across both the Lower and Upper Houses, highlighting bipartisan support for the growth of football and its impact on regional communities. MPs heard from co-chairs Robert Dwyer, Member for Port Macquarie, and Sonia Hornery, Member for Wallsend, alongside NNSWF CEO Peter Haynes and Newcastle Jets CEO Tain Drinkwater, who spoke about the opportunities and challenges facing football across the region. Former Lake Macquarie football community player, former professional footballer and current Newcastle Jets General Manager of Football Nigel Boogaard delivered the keynote address, sharing his football journey and reinforcing the importance of strong pathways for regional players and clubs. The Parliamentary Friends of Football – Northern NSW & Newcastle Jets group has been established as a bipartisan forum to strengthen engagement between Parliament and football stakeholders across northern NSW. The initiative will help advocate for improved facilities, regional infrastructure investment, participation growth and more inclusive opportunities across all levels of the game. NNSWF currently represents more than 200 clubs and over 110,000 registered participants from Lake Macquarie to the Queensland border, making football one of the region’s largest participation sports. The establishment of the group marks an important step in ensuring football communities across northern NSW have a stronger voice in future policy, funding and infrastructure discussions, while continuing to grow and strengthen the game across the region.