The New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has executed a U-turn on her $2.5bn plan to knock down and rebuild Sydney’s two main sporting stadiums.
Instead the government will refurbish ANZ stadium at Homebush, built for the 2000 Olympics at a cost of $810m, shaving $500m off the cost.
Berejiklian said the refurbishment would involve keeping the shell of the former Olympic venue, and rebuilding it into a rectangular venue so that two-thirds of the spectators would have a far more intimate experience.
The venue will seat 70,000, which is smaller than its Olympic configuration.
The Coalition will, however, still demolish and rebuild the Allianz stadium at Moore Park at a cost of $730m, even though it is rarely at capacity.
The government has been accused of putting investment in sporting venues ahead of other priorities.
The opposition leader, Luke Foley, has been touring the state in a red bus emblazoned with the slogan “schools and hospitals before stadiums”.
A recent opinion poll suggested more than half of NSW voters opposed the government spending more than $2bn to demolish and rebuild both ANZ and Allianz stadiums.
Coalition MPs have privately expressed their concern over the policy, which had the backing of the premier and the sports minister, Stuart Ayres.
Berejiklian defended the about-face, saying it was the first time cabinet had had detailed business plans from Infrastructure NSW for the two projects. The bureaucrats had been able to come up with less expensive options while still ensuring that Sydney would retain leading events.
“We are a government that does its homework and listens to the public,” she said. “That comprehensive homework means we will be able to deliver two outstanding stadiums for Sydney at the best possible value for taxpayers.”
She also announced that Sydney had secured the rights to host the NRL grand final for the next 25 years.
Ayres said the NSW government’s revised plans for the stadiums are anticipated to cost about $1.5bn.
The government will also spend $200m on Parramatta stadium in Sydney’s west.
The Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust, which includes some of Sydney’s most powerful figures, such as broadcaster Alan Jones, has been urging a rebuild of the 30-year-old Allianz stadium, arguing that it does not meet safety and security standards.
