Minister critical of WAFC for failure to support stadium

[travelling_gerry]

8th December 2007, 12:45 WST




The WA Football Commission would become irrelevant if it continued to maintain its stance against plans by the State Government to build a new $850 million outdoor sports stadium in Perth, Sport and Recreation Minister John Kobelke said today.
In a stinging attack against the commission Mr Kobelke said the body was refusing to leave its “comfort zone” and was maintaining an inadequate and second rate stadium in Subiaco oval.
Mr Kobelke’s comments followed a meeting with AFL boss Andrew Demetriou yesterday where Mr Demetriou gave his personal support to the government plans.
“The AFL wants to continue to see their sport grow. The key issue that Andrew Demetriou put to me was they see increased capacity and quality of the ground as being things that would enhance their sport and see it grow,” Mr Kobelke said.
So far the AFL have not committed to supporting the project financially and the WAFC remains opposed to the plans citing possible financial disadvantages and issues relating to the Government’s requirement that the new stadium operate under an independent governance structure.
“The key partner we need to engage with is the WA Football Commission and they are too much in a comfort zone, they are not willing to grasp what is a fantastic opportunity,” Mr Kobelke said.
He said football crowds would not grow it they could not be accommodated and without a new larger stadium the sport would go backwards.
“Parts of Subiaco oval are coming to the end of their useful life. It is a second rate stadium when you compare it to what we have in the other capital cities. It is way too small in capacity for a state that is the fastest growing state in Australia,” Mr Kobelke said.
He said he would be speaking to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in a bid to gain a financial commitment to the project from the Federal Government.
“West Australia has done very poorly in the past in terms of commitments from the Federal Government to major sporting facilities and we think it is about time that we had our turn and West Australia also received substantial federal funding.”
Mr Kobelke said he needed the support of all key sporting groups for the stadium to go ahead.
“We have a very clear vision, we want to put in place a timetable to deliver a new major stadium for Perth,” Mr Kobelke said.
JANE HAMMOND

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.as...ontentID=50166

[slomo]

he was also on sports central on 882 6pr this morning, saying the same thing....

[Flamethrower]

Leave them to it and build a nice new shiny Rectangular stadium next to Subi Oval.

That would really rub it in the AFL/WAFL faces

[The Lone Hydrangea]

WAFC = nose in the trough. Fong and Bradshaw are the main culprits in delaying the final process. They think the WAFC is a protected species but the tide is turning against them. They are a disgrace and have been for along time. Just need to find someone with the cojones to say..thanks for the memories now bugger off. Kolbelke lacks said cojones, but is hopefully growing a set to get things finally moving. Can someone just please make a decision.

[no.8]

Yes that's right Kobelke has not got any cojones!
He should not have come from Spain, but from the Middle East because it sounds cooler to say that he has no cullions!
Whatever he's got no balls...

[blueandblack]

Demetriou called in to help resolve stadium talks - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

"Demetriou called in to help resolve stadium talks"
....
"Representatives of the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers will take part in the discussions along with the State Government, the Department of Sport and Recreation and the WA Football Commission."

so...aussies rules, aussie rules, supplier of service/decisionmaker, decisionmaker's offsider. aussie rules. and Andrew "aussie rules" Demetriou. hmmm....

[GIGS20]

Kobelke did the wrong thing calling in Demetriou, it just shows how gutless he is. If you want to get the WAFC moving, you don't call in the head of the AFL, you call in Geoff Stooke, and the head of League and Soccer with an architect.

Give it corners Kobelke, that's the only solution.

[BLR]

I have a feeling in around 5 years time the AFL will have thier nice big stadium while we'll still be asking for a rectangular stadium as the new one will be horribly inadequate....anyone else want to secede from WA and build our own stadium?

[Skiza]

If you want to get the WAFC moving, you don't call in the head of the AFL, you call in Geoff Stooke, and the head of League and Soccer with an architect.

Spot on GIGS20

[shasta]

What a gutless bastard. This sure looks like a gang bang for the rectangular sports in WA. I think the AFL and the WAFC are playing "good cop - bad cop" with this incompetent minister. They'll get the WAFC to make some bullshit concessions to save face for Kobelke. I've got a horrible feeling the end result is very likely the other sports are gonna get shafted but Kobelke will be still be able to claim it as the best solution for all stakeholders. FFS.

Better get those e mails happening again folks.

[Thequeerone]

I actually take my hat of to the WAFC on this one - if you had a lease on a stadium - and the lease/rental would be the biggest cost - why would you give it up - You don't hear the Footie Fans giving out about the facilities etc.. after all Subi is purpose built for their code - it's the rest of the codes that have a problem !

Good on em for standing up to Kobleke - if they don't like the model the taskforce is proposing then there's obviously a problem with it from their point of view.

What we need is a proper rectangular stadium with coperate boxes and the rest - this new stadium is going to do nothing for us - don't care what happens with it - if we go there we will still be 40-80m from the action.

[GIGS20]

I think you're right TQ1, the WAFC aren't happy with the deal and therefore shouldn't support it, We're not happy with the deal and shouldn't support it, neither should FFA or the WARL. At least while the WAFC are digging their heels in we don't have to lube up just yet. The moment they cave and accept the deal, we're shafted!

[JediKnight]

Why is the State government running cap in hand to the Federal boys for money to pay for the stadium? There's that much money in WA that they could build one with their pocket change.

In reality, we need the 2 stadium issues (a new, bigger one for AFL & a rectangular one for rugby, soccer & league) to be handled separately. Unfortunately it seems that the first one they're looking at is a bigger one for AFL which means we'll have to wait longer.

[hopep]

Kobelke has done a 'cop out. It a very sad day for WA when the minister for sport can't decide how best to spend WA taxpayers money and has to go and ask some bloke in the eastern states.
If he can't make decision, why is he in the job, Carpenter is being shown that his ministers are not competent.

The whole 'one size fits all' approach was at the insistence of Langalount and Fong.
What they meant was 'OUR size fits all' - unfortunately it doesn't. So all other sports will pay for another poor ministerial decision.

In 8 years, we'll still be paying too much and seeing too little.

[brokendown gunfighter]

Kerry Stokes used to play rugby.He has got enough in his petty cash tin to finance a rectangular stadium

Stokes Stadium has a nice ring to it