https://www.theaustralian.com.au/na...d/news-story/f291f8726c69e214663c11aa7910ab9c
Stadium work must begin by year’s end
The memorandum of understanding between the National Rugby League, the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust, ANZ Stadium bosses and the NSW government to agree to having two stadiums rebuilt at a cost of more than $1.6 billion is contingent on work starting on knocking down Allianz Stadium by the end of this year.
Papers tabled in the NSW upper house yesterday included the infamous MOU that Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Sports Minister Stuart Ayres signed off on in November last year — which cabinet hadn’t seen — to rebuild both ANZ Stadium and Allianz Stadium.
The papers say that: “ARLC (Australian Rugby League Commission) must satisfy the Content Commitment during the Term, subject to the satisfaction of the following requirements: 1) On-site works at the Sydney Football Stadium have commenced by 31 December 2018 and the Government progresses on-site works with a view to the new stadium being open for use for 2021 NRL Finals Series matches” and that: “On-site works at Stadium Australia have commenced by 31 December 2019 and the Government progresses works with a view to the new stadium being open by 30 April 2023 for use for the 2023 State of Origin (and if possible for the 2022 NRL Grand Final)”.
The Sydney Football Stadium deadline could become a point of contention because government officials have warned that planning permission for the knockdown of that stadium might not be able to be approved until early next year — on the eve of the state election. The papers also show the cost asked of former premier Mike Baird by the Australian Rugby Union in 2016 in return for the code tolerating the stadiums rebuild.
Despite the argument that new stadiums would of themselves generate content, the ARU was also asking for $3.5m from the state government for each Bledisloe Cup Test match and June series test played in Sydney and $5m per Test match and $2.5m per tour match for the British and Irish Lions tour of 2025. The papers also show that one official, Tracy Southern, the manager of major projects for the office of sport, was required to sign a statutory declaration denying that she had leaked an executive summary of the KPMG strategic business case to
The Daily Telegraph.
A spokeswoman for Mr Ayres said last night the NRL had made clear its intention to honour the MOU and there had been no change to existing agreements with the ARU, now Rugby Australia.