ANZ Stadium upgrade: NSW Government stays committed to $810m refurb

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet says the government remains committed to a major refurbishment of ANZ Stadium, despite funding for it being left out of 2019/20 State Budget.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet says the government is still committed to upgrading ANZ Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park despite no funding allocation for it in the 2019/20 budget.

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The Berejiklian Government has played down fears an $810 million upgrade of ANZ Stadium won’t go ahead after funding for it was left out of last week’s State Budget.

The massive refurbishment was detailed in the 2018/19 budget, with the government promising that work would start later this year to turn the 20-year-old stadium into a 70,000-seat rectangular venue by mid-2021.

And while the $730 million Sydney Football Stadium rebuild and Parramatta’s recently opened Western Sydney Stadium scored a mention, the ANZ Stadium project was left out of last week’s 2019/20 budget.

Roosters ace Latrell Mitchell in action during last year’s NRL Grand Final at ANZ Stadium, Sydney. Picture: Brett Costello

The Opposition took a big stand against stadium upgrades at this year’s State Election — but it took a swing at the Coalition Government today for “hitting the pause button” on the ANZ upgrade.

“The Premier (Gladys Berejiklian) and her Sports Minister (Stuart Ayres) promised two stadiums and just weeks after the election they are walking back from one of them,” acting Opposition Leader Penny Sharpe said.

“They are going ahead with a stadium in the eastern suburbs, yet western Sydney will miss out.

“I call on the Premier to provide a time frame for ANZ Stadium and guarantee that we won’t lose any matches.”

Ms Sharpe expressed concerns that Sydney would lose hosting rights to National Rugby League grand finals if ANZ Stadium is not upgraded.

However, an NRL spokesman has told News Corp that there was “no cause for concern” over the government’s omission and he believed the project would go ahead.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said there was “no change” to the government’s commitment to refurbish the stadium, which opened a year before the 2000 Olympics.

Stadium Australia during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games opening ceremony dress rehearsal.

“As at the 2019-20 Budget, commitments to Sports Stadia under Rebuilding NSW total $380.5 million with $810.0 million in reservations for Stadium Australia budgeted under Restart NSW ($590.5 million) and Rebuilding NSW ($219.5 million),” the Epping MP said.

“Labor’s last leader (Michael Daley) spent half his short time in charge conducting his campaign from outside Allianz Stadium at Moore Park.

“Now, here we are three months later and their interim, temporary, substitute leader Penny Sharpe is once again obsessing about stadiums. It’s a fever that Labor’s leaders can’t shake.

“When Labor finally get around to choosing a new leader I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they will simply hit the replay button on the same old tune of promising higher taxes, cancelling projects and carrying on about stadiums.

“Labor is a lesson in negativity and ‘can’t do’ attitude — that’s why the people of NSW rejected them in March.”