On Monday, the Lismore App announced that the state government was funding $500,000 worth of defibrillators to sporting organisations around NSW.

Yesterday, Lismore MP Janelle Saffin encouraged more local sporting and active recreation organisations to apply for up to $3,000 in funding under the Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program.

Ms Saffin said Dunoon United Football Club was one of eight recipients from the electorate in the program’s 2024-25 round and had installed an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at its Balzer Park home ground.

Club President Simon Webster said: “As a rural community football club, we believe it’s very important for us to have a defibrillator on site.

“Hopefully we will never need to use it, but it is reassuring to know that it’s there, and that if anything should happen to a player, match official or spectator, we will be able to help,” Mr Webster said.

Ms Saffin said since the popular program started, more than 2,300 potentially life-saving defibrillators had been funded for use at sports and recreation facilities across New South Wales.

Applications for the 2025-26 Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program close 1 December or when funding is exhausted.

For further information, including eligibility criteria, visit: https://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/grants/local-sport-defibrillator-grant-program

Minister for Sport Steve Kamper also announced that the Heartbeat of Football Foundation will use a $150,000 NSW Government grant to map facilities that have AEDs and those that do not, guiding future government investment in this critical equipment.