Libs to shelve $300m Etihad plan, use cash for grassroots sport
A $300 MILLION deal to revamp Melbourne’s rundown Etihad Stadium should be shelved to pour taxpayers’ money into Victoria’s grassroots sport, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy says.
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A $300 MILLION Etihad Stadium rebuild would be shelved under a Liberal plan to pour taxpayers’ money into grassroots sport.
Opposition leader Matthew Guy has declared Victorian voters should be given the right to decide the future of Melbourne’s sporting infrastructure at November’s state election.
The AFL and Andrews Government are on the verge of signing off on a major taxpayer-funded deal to revamp the rundown Docklands stadium.
But the Coalition want the talks to stop and the public to decide.
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“If I’m elected in November, I’ll take every dollar Daniel Andrews commits to the AFL to spend on Etihad Stadium and give it to local sports ground upgrades including building new female change rooms,” Mr Guy told the Sunday Herald Sun.
“It’s about time that our suburban and country sporting clubs rather than just the AFL got some support from the state government.”
The AFL, which recently bought Etihad Stadium for about $200m, wants to breathe new life into the Docklands precinct by opening the ground out to a sprawling waterfront entertainment zone.
Open-air bars, restaurants, parks and a running track would be built, along with a 1500-seat ballroom to host events such as the Brownlow Medal.
Community yoga classes on the Etihad playing surface have also been spruiked.
Acting Sport Minister Ben Carroll would not confirm today’s report, but said the government was in talks with the AFL on a range of venues.
“We’re in regular talks with the AFL, whether it be Etihad, the MCG, or returning the former AFL suburban grounds to the community for their use,” he said.
“A lot of these contacts are commercial in confidence and we will continue to talk to them ... If we decide to make an investment it will be merit based and it will ensure that sport continues to grow.”
Speaking at a ribbon-cutting event for female-friendly change rooms at a suburban football oval, Mr Carroll accused the Coalition of hypocrisy.
“This is policy on the run ... if they can’t put females into Parliament how are they going to put females out on the sporting oval?”
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Shadow treasurer Michael O’Brien said Mr Andrews “has no mandate to enter into any lucrative deal with the AFL at the expense of Victoria’s community sporting clubs”.
“No contract should be signed before the election.” Mr O’Brien said.
“The AFL bought Etihad Stadium as a property investment. Good luck to it. But Victorians don’t expect their taxes to prop up the AFL’s finances at the expense of the sporting needs of kids right across our state.
“If he (Andrews) believes that Victorians want their money handed to the AFL, he must have the courage to put it to November’s election.
“Let Victorians decide at the next election between Matthew Guy’s vision for community sport or Daniel Andrews’ plan to hand over buckets of cash to the AFL to renovate just one stadium.”
A government taskforce including Mr Andrews, Treasurer Tim Pallas, Major Projects Minister Jacinta Allan, Planning Minister Richard Wynne and Sports Minister John Eren — has been reviewing the state’s stadiums and sporting precincts since November 2016.
Government sources say a green light for the Etihad Stadium makeover would likely require the AFL to spend more on women’s facilities around the state.
In a pitch document presented last year, the AFL hinted a revamped Etihad Stadium would be a major vote winner for the government.
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“Involvement in this project would ensure the Andrews Government’s legacy as a dynamic, visionary government,” the document said.
“Importantly, this would be achieved for a fraction of the cost of stadium projects in other states.”
Mr Guy added: “I won’t hand over millions of dollars to the AFL to spend on Etihad Stadium, my goal will be to prioritise funding to our suburban and country sports clubs,” Mr Guy said.
“Grassroots football, netball, cricket, basketball and soccer clubs are crying out for state government support.”
— with Ed Gardiner
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