Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The building of the new Parramatta stadium has descended into complete farce. According to reports, the New South Wales Liberal government has failed to sign a single major event sponsor, despite promising to deliver 43 to 44 events each year. A report by Infrastructure New South Wales predicted the Eels would play at least 10 games and the Western Sydney Wanderers would play 11 to 12 games so it is a surprise to see that both teams are now refusing to sign contracts that are reported to be worth more than double the amount offered at any other 30,000-seat stadium in Australia. They also raise concerns about proposed food and beverage fees that they believe will be exorbitant. The Eels said they are not prepared to accept a new agreement that will continue to impact the club negatively for the next 25 years.

According to the report, there are at least two other teams that are expected to play at the stadium but it's not really clear who they are. This stadium build is part of the New South Wales Liberal government's plan to spend billions of dollars on new stadiums that they can't find teams to use. This is a stadium that saw them demolish the Parramatta pool, a pool that was built with money raised by the community on crown land that borders the World Heritage listed Old Government House and Parramatta Park. I am pleased to see New South Wales Labor has committed, if elected, to fully funding the cost of the new pool. But we as a community are left with a stadium with no hirers, a pool that's going to cost $70 million to replace, and a monstrosity that looms over public land and heritage assets. It is a disaster.