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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-07-22 Daily Xml
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ADELAIDE OVAL

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (15:05): I do have one last question to round out the session before the budget, and it will be of no surprise that it is to the Treasurer. Is the Treasurer's reason for saying in the media yesterday that the Liberals inner-city stadium would cost $1.2 billion when the Stadium Management Authority and the government's own officers had documents prior to the state election showing that an Etihad Stadium, with a roof, just like the Liberals promised could be built at February 2010 costs for $635 million because the Treasurer was briefed on this before the election but decided not to tell anyone; or because the Treasurer was briefed before the election but told no-one and then forgot; or because, on the soul of his grandmother's grave, the Treasurer had not received that advice; or because the Treasurer was not told in any way, shape or form of this before the election; or because it was a preliminary estimate and could not be relied upon; or because at the meeting where the stadium was discussed everyone decided not to talk about costs due to caretaker conventions; or because the Treasurer did not know because the Premier put minister Conlon in charge of the project; or is there some other reason?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Federal/State Relations, Minister for Defence Industries) (15:06): As I said, Madam Speaker, your worst day in government is much better than your best day in opposition, I can assure you of that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Madam Speaker, I am quite happy to answer this. What has been lost in this debate is that the opposition has never, ever, ever had to verify their claims about what it would cost to build an inner-city stadium. We have never seen their costings. I do recall a conversation I had recently with Andrew Demetriou when talking about the Telstra Dome and, from memory, Andrew said that Ian Collins, the head of Telstra Dome, had mentioned that to build the Telstra Dome today you would be looking at $1 billion to $1.2 billion. What is more, with a covered stadium at Telstra Dome with 44 matches a year, they find it difficult to make an operating profit because of the cost of those stadiums to operate. We somehow with 22 games would do it better and make it work.

The other point that was made to me was that the cost of resurfacing Telstra Dome each and every year is in the $1.5 million to $2 million range, and any footballer whom I have spoken to has always been critical about the playing surface of Telstra Dome, given the problems with the roof. The truth of the matter is no-one believes you can build a stadium for the cost that members opposite said, but that gets lost in this debate—and that is the nature of politics.

I have to carry the burden of Adelaide Oval, an initiative that was widely popular both in my party and in the wider community at the time of the announcement. I still believe it is widely popular in the broader community—I am not necessarily certain about my party—but the thing is that, in the lead-up to the state election, it was considered a very, very positive move. Ultimately, if the opposition is serious about ensuring the survival of our two AFL clubs and the growth of our two AFL clubs; if they are serious about revitalising and rejuvenating the CBD of this state; if they are serious about supporting the development of an exciting precinct along the Torrens, well then, drop your opposition, drop your attacks, stop your undermining of the project and allow it to happen. Mark my words.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Mark my words. If the opposition succeeds in destroying this project, it will be your fault and your fault. Everyone will know—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Everyone will know who destroyed this project: the member for Davenport and the Leader of the Opposition.

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