Stewart McArthur (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The year 2007 could be the year of the Geelong Cats. Next Friday we face Collingwood in the preliminary final, and the following week we hope to be in the grand final.

I wish to put on the record my thanks to the federal Treasurer for finalising the third stage of the Geelong ring-road, a project of $186 million. I thank the Treasurer for being there on Friday and I also note his words of support for the upgrade of Skilled Stadium to the extent of $14 million. It is important that Geelong Football Club remain at Skilled Stadium and that the stadium be upgraded and competitive with public stadiums around the world.

Geelong is the only regional football side and I am delighted with the support that the Treasurer has given to the project. I am hopeful that the government will provide $14 million for the upgrade and that Geelong will win the premiership as well. It could be the year of the Cats in 2007, with Skilled Stadium getting fixed up and with Geelong winning the premiership.