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THE $35 million upgrade of the St George Illawarra Dragons home ground at Kogarah has become politically contentious just days before the federal election.
Liberal candidate for Barton, Nick Varvaris, raised the subject by questioning whether $23 million contributed to the Jubilee Oval project by the state Labor government could have been better spent redeveloping St George Hospital.
He said his Labor rival Steve McMahon was chief of staff to Sports Minister Kevin Greene when one of the grants was given.
Mr McMahon hit back, pointing to an item on Mr Varvaris's Facebook page which included glowing praise of the stadium upgrade and a photo (pictured above) at the ground with Dragons officials and players.
"He can't have it both ways," Mr McMahon said.
Mr Varvaris said as Kogarah mayor he chaired a steering committee which had overseen the work, but the council had not made any representations for funding.
"The question I raise is whether the priorities of the state government were right," he said.
Mr Varvaris raised the matter when responding to Labor's pitch that Labor was the only party promising any funding for the hospital.
He said hospitals were fundamentally a state government responsibility and Labor had failed to redevelop St George Hospital during its 14 years in office.
However, at the same time it had poured $23 million into upgrading the oval.
Mr Varvaris said two of the grants, for $7 million and $13 million, had been announced before state elections.
He acknowledged the federal coalition government had also provided $8 million to the stadium when John Howard, a noted Dragons supporters, was prime minister.
Mr Varvaris said all governments had to prioritise funding.
"It is great to have that facility there; but you tell me — is it getting utilised as much as it should?" he said.
http://www.theleader.com.au/story/1749740/dragons-oval-a-political-football/?cs=1507
Liberal candidate for Barton, Nick Varvaris, raised the subject by questioning whether $23 million contributed to the Jubilee Oval project by the state Labor government could have been better spent redeveloping St George Hospital.
He said his Labor rival Steve McMahon was chief of staff to Sports Minister Kevin Greene when one of the grants was given.
Mr McMahon hit back, pointing to an item on Mr Varvaris's Facebook page which included glowing praise of the stadium upgrade and a photo (pictured above) at the ground with Dragons officials and players.
"He can't have it both ways," Mr McMahon said.
Mr Varvaris said as Kogarah mayor he chaired a steering committee which had overseen the work, but the council had not made any representations for funding.
"The question I raise is whether the priorities of the state government were right," he said.
Mr Varvaris raised the matter when responding to Labor's pitch that Labor was the only party promising any funding for the hospital.
He said hospitals were fundamentally a state government responsibility and Labor had failed to redevelop St George Hospital during its 14 years in office.
However, at the same time it had poured $23 million into upgrading the oval.
Mr Varvaris said two of the grants, for $7 million and $13 million, had been announced before state elections.
He acknowledged the federal coalition government had also provided $8 million to the stadium when John Howard, a noted Dragons supporters, was prime minister.
Mr Varvaris said all governments had to prioritise funding.
"It is great to have that facility there; but you tell me — is it getting utilised as much as it should?" he said.
http://www.theleader.com.au/story/1749740/dragons-oval-a-political-football/?cs=1507
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