Tim Hammond (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It has been my privilege to attend a number of events at Perth's new stadium—or the 'craypot' as it is becoming affectionately known—since it opened this summer. Notwithstanding a streaker and Australia's loss to England in the one-day international, the facility is absolutely magnificent, world class and second to none. I encourage all Australians and overseas visitors to come and visit the craypot.

It is a tribute to both the McGowan Labor government and also the previous government in relation to the world-class standard set both in terms of the cultural infrastructure and as a viewing venue for sports. Like most of these things, there are some kinks to be ironed out. Tremendous work is being put in to make sure that that is being achieved: managing the traffic flow in and out of the facility, and facilitating getting a cold beer and a hot pie.

For those who don't know, the stadium is not in my electorate but is directly across the Swan River. That's where it becomes relevant to the federal electorate of Perth. As many in this place will know, the planned footbridge from East Perth over to the stadium has not yet been completed. Whilst it was very impressive to see some enterprising young men and women with their tinnies ferrying people from one side of the river to the other, my sense is that's not a sustainable, long-term solution. The footbridge was due to be delivered in June 2016, but the overseas contractor failed to meet deadlines. I'm pleased to say that, as part of a McGowan Labor government initiative of increased local content, it is now being built at home.

However, both now and into the future, we are seeing a knock-on effect on some of my constituents in East Perth, Mt Lawley and Maylands of being inundated with an influx of punters who are parking in suburbs of my electorate and then heading over to the stadium. It's happening already and it's likely to get worse as the footbridge gets up and running—pardon the pun—but there is a solution. It's all well and good to identify problems but we also need to work on solutions. There was a similar problem around Perth oval in Highgate in my electorate, but parking permits on match days solved those local traffic problems. Basically, signs are updated every few months with prohibited parking bays to make sure locals don't miss out. The City of Vincent should be commended on such an approach. Today, we start the conversation at all levels of government—City of Vincent, Bayswater, City of Perth, my state colleague Simon Millman and myself—to make sure that locals are not impacted by this thriving and magnificent stadium venue.