This headline in the Western Oz today, can anyone open it.
"NRL WA: Premier Roger Cook denies handshake deal has been done"
Also had this by-line:
"Cook denies deal as budding NRL price tag kept under wraps"
Sounds like it`s very close.
WA: Premier Roger Cook denies handshake deal has been done
The price tag of a secret deal being discussed with the NRL will not be made public until after the State election – keeping voters in the dark.
Roger Cook has rejected calls to seek a mandate for the taxpayer-funded deal for the North Sydney Bears to be revived as the Western Bears, based in Perth.
Rugby league boss Peter V’landys wants the WA team ready to play in 2027, but Mr Cook denied a handshake deal had already been done, ready to be announced after polling day on March 8.
Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) chairman Peter V'landys AAP IMAGE
“No, we’re not. It’s very early days in terms of those conversations,” he said.
“We’re keen for them to progress but we don’t want them to progress at the expense of a good deal for Western Australians.
“I grew up in WA, I remember the mistakes that the National Rugby League made concerning the Western Reds. I don’t want to see that happen again.”
He has described reports this week of a $320 million pricetag as “fanciful”, but didn’t appear to baulk at the suggestion of $100 million.
“It depends on the deal,” he said. “We need to see the detail.”
Liberal leader Libby Mettam has sought to make the NRL negotiations an election issue, taking her criticism of the State Government bid a step further on Friday by ruling out any deal – if she becomes Premier.
Liberal leader Libby Mettam The West Australian
“We’re not doing a deal with the NRL,” she said.
She maintained that “it is not a priority” even if the asking price was reduced to as low as $1 million.
“Roger Cook needs to come clean on this deal,” Ms Mettam said.
“How much has he promised to the NRL? How much has he promised the Sydney businessman to fund his special hobby?”
Mr Cook has put trust at the centre of his campaign re-election, but his Government has kept the price paid for Coldplay, UFC and world soccer events secret - due to ‘commercial in confidence’.
Speaking to the West Australian on the campaign trail, he said that won’t apply to this deal: “Because this is a national competition, other clubs will want to know.”
The NRL proposal was not included in the pre-election financial projections released by Treasurer Rita Saffioti last week, but other Labor promises were declared “spending risks” including plans to buy back regional WA’s freight rail network.
Treasury noted that “significant consultation and negotiation” would be required with the private operator who was only halfway through a 49-year lease.
Treasurer Rita Saffioti
Spruiking the plan in Geraldton on Friday, Mr Cook denied he had put taxpayers at a disadvantage by stating Labor’s intentions.
“We have a range of remedies, legal and negotiating remedies as part of the contract,” he said.
“Obviously it’s a spending risk because it’s a live negotiation and we acknowledge that. But we believe that this is an important initiative, it will allow so much more freight to go onto rail.
“It will allow us to have the higher frequency of the Australind which we are very keen on, it means roads right across WA will become safer and it means the wear and tear on our roads will be much more reduced.”
