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Hopes rise for Federal help to build stadium
Hopes Federal Sports Minister George Brandis will visit the two preferred sites for Perth’s new 60,000-seat outdoor stadium today, raising hopes that Canberra could help the State Government fund the new $850 million venue.
The West Australian confirmed yesterday that Mr Brandis would visit the proposed stadium site next to the old East Perth power station with WA Sport and Recreation Minister John Kobelke.
Mr Brandis will then have an opportunity to view the Kitchener Park site when, along with Mr Kobelke, he watches Fremantle play Geelong at Subiaco Oval as a guest of the WA Football Commission.
The Federal Minister’s trip to Perth comes about six weeks after Mr Kobelke wrote to Mr Brandis seeking a financial commitment from Canberra for a new 60,000-seat multi-purpose stadium. At the time, Mr Brandis said he would give the request serious consideration.
Yesterday, Mr Brandis told The West Australian that the timing of any decision by Canberra to contribute towards the cost of a new sporting venue would depend on how advanced the stadium proposal was. “I will listen to what the Minister says and consider it,” Mr Brandis said. “The more fully developed it (the stadium proposal) is, the more quickly it can be assessed.”
While Mr Kobelke could not be contacted for comment yesterday, a spokesman said the State Government was hoping for a substantial contribution from Canberra towards the estimated $850 million cost of building a new stadium. “Clearly, the expectation is that having missed out for so long (on funding for WA sporting facilities), the Commonwealth would make a substantial contribution to this project,” the spokesman said.
While the spokesman would not put a figure on the amount being sought from Canberra, stadium task force chief John Langoulant said a Federal funding commitment of at least $50 million to $100 million was warranted.
“And that contribution should only be provided for a new multi-purpose stadium which is governed in an independent manner,” he said.
Football commission chief executive Wayne Bradshaw denied yesterday that football officials would attempt to lobby Mr Brandis in the corporate box for Federal funding to rebuild Subiaco Oval — an option which both Mr Kobelke and
Premier Alan Carpenter have dismissed.
“He (Mr Brandis) wanted to watch the footy and we are hosting him and that’s it,” Mr Bradshaw said.
He said the football commission was open-minded on where the new stadium would be built and was still awaiting financial information which would help football officials determine whether the code would be better off moving to a new venue. “It would certainly be a good outcome for the Federal Government to put some money into a stadium development in WA,” said Mr Bradshaw. “I’d imagine John Kobelke would be pushing that line and we’d be backing him.”
MARK DRUMMOND
CHIEF REPORTER
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