Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to discuss the new Perth Stadium, a massive infrastructure project nearing completion in my electorate of Swan. Perth Stadium is a multipurpose venue designed to host AFL, rugby, soccer, cricket, and a broad range of entertainment events. The 60,000-seat facility was envisioned by the Barnett government and is expected to be completed and open for the start of the 2018 AFL season.

As the member for Swan, I was thrilled by the then state government's announcement to build Perth's new stadium in the suburb of Burswood within my electorate. I realise the benefits of this infrastructure project will be enormous not only for the residents and small business owners within Swan, but also for bringing big events, and therefore even bigger crowds, to the great state of WA.

At the 2013 state election, the member for Victoria Park and his Labor Party, led by Mark McGowan, said they would abandon the project and instead keep the existing stadium at Subiaco, which is no longer up to AFL standards, let alone a facility that would accommodate large sporting and entertainment events. Of course, the backflip from the member for Victoria Park came only after he had enjoyed a number of media events with Premier Barnett, promoting his electorate and the stadium and taking multiple photos with sporting heroes from WA.

What I cannot understand is how any local member of parliament could actively promote a project that would massively boost areas within his electorate, only to back out on this, toe the party line and actively support his party and its plans to move the project back to Subiaco. Thank God he was not successful, and, with my WA colleagues, we now have a target-rich environment in WA.