Why the NSW Government won’t divert stadium funds to NRL coffers

The NRL’s push for the millions pledged for stadium upgrades to be diverted to keeping the game alive will be blocked by the NSW Government for one very good reason.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 02: A general view of ANZ Stadium on April 02, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. Sport and events held at the stadium continue to be postponed and cancelled under current coronavirus related restrictions in place across the State. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

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ANZ Stadium remains on track for its $810 million overhaul, with the NSW Government convinced “big projects” are the key to stimulating economic growth in the wake of COVID-19.

Speaking with The Daily Telegraph , NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the redevelopment of the Olympic Park precinct could take place “sooner rather than later”, despite the NRL pushing for a redistribution of those funds pledged for construction.

Already, the NRL has discussed lobbying the government to transfer some of those millions pledged for the stadium upgrade, which includes changing the playing surface from its current oval shape into a rectangle.

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The redevelopment of ANZ Stadium remains on track. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Rugby league officials had hoped Premier Gladys Berejiklian might scrap the proposed changes and instead redistribute part of the funds.

One proposal the NRL has considered pushing involved allocating up to $500 million to the Homebush stadium’s rebuild with the rest of the money pumped into a crisis stimulus fund for NSW sport.

But Mr Barilaro suggested the stadium upgrades could prove crucial as the government led the recovery in the economy.

“ANZ Stadium is on the books,” he said.

“All the work has been done.

An upgrade to ANZ Stadium could play a key role in the recovery of the economy. Picture: David Swift

“They’re costing it, finalising details, it could be a project that is ready to go sooner rather than later.

“The reality is that if you want to stimulate the economy to help businesses and job employment going forward, we need big projects to start going.”

Barilaro stressed that it was the job of the government to lead the state’s economic recovery.

“We don’t have to redirect that funding,” he said.

“As a government, we’ve run our budget in the black for the purpose of dealing with crisis. We have no debt.”

Originally published as Why the NSW Government won’t divert stadium funds to NRL coffers