Cronulla are attempting to convince the federal government to inject funds into club’s new centre of excellence
THE only Prime Minister who has held a place in the heart of Cronulla supporters is Harold Holt. Malcolm Turnbull could change all that with funding for the club’s new centre of excellence.
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THE only Prime Minister who has held a place in the heart of Cronulla supporters is Harold Holt.
Malcolm Turnbull could change all that.
Arriving from the city by train to Shark Park, the PM — a happy Roosters fan — sat among beer-swilling fans with treasurer and Cronulla fan Scott Morrison in the stands on Friday night.
Turnbull wanted to walk the five-minute stroll from Woolooware Station to Shark Park, but was overruled by security.
The PM’s trip to his first NRL match this season was also timely for a Cronulla board who are attempting to convince the federal government to inject funds into the club’s new centre of excellence.
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The Sharks were one of seven NRL club’s to be allocated $8 million in state government funding prior to Christmas for the facilities which will ensure world-class training facilities for the football team, but ultimately a sporting and learning hub for the community.
Sharks chairman Dino Mezzatesta and fellow board members will present a proposal for the Federal Government to match the State Government’s $8 million at Morrison’s Sutherland Shire office on Monday.
“We’ve got a responsibility to the Sutherland Shire to provide a centre of excellence that will have enormous social and sporting impact on the community,’’ Mezzatesta said.
“Having Malcolm at the game was really informal, I was very appreciative that we could have him at Shark Park and I think he could sense what it meant to have him there to our fans.
“He was interested to understand more about our stadium, the entire precinct, our ongoing development and even though he was wearing the opposing colours, I did tell him that I was looking forward to presenting our case for a centre of excellence to Scott on Monday.’’