Cool heads essential for stadium progress - Sunday Times.au
Cool heads essential for stadium progress - Sunday Times.au
Editorial Comment in The Sunday Times
May 26, 2007 03:00pm
COOL heads and a spirit of compromise must prevail if agreement is to be reached on building the proposed multi-purpose sports stadium.
Don't hold your breath. We could be in for a long wait.
The whole issue is riddled with vested interests that should not, but probably will, try to hold the State Government to ransom.
And you have to wonder if the Government really wants to go ahead with a state-of-the-art stadium or would prefer to consign it to the too-hard basket.
Overall, the Government's response to John Langoulant's taskforce recommendations is as disappointing as a flat football. The Government seems lukewarm to the prospect. It hasn't budgeted any money for the stadium or formulated any firm timetable. It says that the project won't proceed unless there is federal funding and a commitment to the new venue by all major sports codes. Apart from the difficulty of reaching a consensus, winning federal financial help may itself be a stumbling block.
Sport and Recreation Minister John Kobelke also warned the WA Football Commission that if it insisted on upgrading Subiaco Oval, it would have to meet the costs itself.
And Health Minister Jim McGinty questioned whether it is preferable for the money for the stadium to be spent on a new children's hospital. Everyone would like to see a new children's hospital, but it is a separate issue. As Health Minister, Mr McGinty should focus on ensuring that the enormous amount of money already being spent on health is reaching the right targets.
The Government faces an uphill battle to reach a consensus with the major sports bodies of Australian rules, cricket, rugby and soccer. For a start, the Football Commission that runs Subiaco Oval would want to operate the new stadium, rather than have it run by an independent body appointed by the Government, as the report recommends. This could be a major obstacle to any agreement. The Government and the commission should be prepared to reach a compromise as quickly as possible.
Obviously, it makes sense for an authority independent of sporting codes and other major hirers to operate the stadium.
Without doubt, Perth needs a stadium capable of seating at least 60,000. The standard of our present facilities, including Subiaco Oval, is poor.
The report recommends that in the next four to eight years the State Government develop a stadium with a 60,000 capacity that could be expanded to 70,000. A key element is that the stadium would incorporate 22,000 reconfigured seats to adjust the AFL field for rugby, soccer and cricket. The 25,000-seat Members Equity Stadium would be retained, with minor improvements to cater for A-League soccer.
This all sounds good, but there is still a need for a special stadium for rectangular sports of rugby and soccer, with a capacity for 35,000. Equity Stadium could be developed to this end. A 35,000-seat capacity is certainly essential for the long-term survival of the Western Force.
Mr Langoulant said that the multi-purpose stadium would be of a standard that could compete with other Australian capitals and with the rest of the world for large WA, national and international sporting, entertainment and cultural events.
An admirable sentiment, but for heaven's sake when are we going to get it? Up to eight years to establish the stadium is too long.
The site decision should be made early enough for the stadium to be completed in five years.
The Sunday Times believes that either East Perth or Kitchener Park – as recommended by the taskforce – would be suitable sites. While Burswood is an attractive option, it is too expensive, at an estimated cost of $1.147 billion.
WA is going through a period of unprecedented prosperity as the State Government proudly announces Budget surplus after Budget surplus.
Now is the time to undertake this project. Each day, the cost of building a stadium of world standard will rise. It will never be as cheap as it was yesterday.
