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Saving Moore Park
Media Release, 11 April 2016
Moore Park Stadium
Big tick for Mike Baird! Today he reaffirmed any new Moore Park stadium will be built on existing SCG Trust land. Earlier, the Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres, qualified the Government’s intention to build on SCG land, saying this was its intention “at the moment”. So Ayres has now been dragged back into line (again).
Mike, this reassurance is great news. But confirming that the new stadium will be wholly on SCG Trust land is only part of the story, albeit clearly an important part. We also need your assurance that:
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The full business case will be made publicly available
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Moore Park won’t be used for parking or as a holding paddock for machinery and equipment while Allianz is demolished and rebuilt.
Stuart Ayres has promised to provide a business case. We need this to be out in the open, please. As we all know, transparency is the key to ensuring the Government’s funds are used wisely, and your Government prides itself in being “open, accountable, fair and effective”.
Under its Act, any development on land controlled by the SCG Trust is not subject to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act or the Local Government Act. Thus there is no formal opportunity for the community to express views about the stadium and its associated business case.
The business case necessarily involves a lot more than just a simple cost-benefit analysis for the stadium. It must take full account of the impact of what will be a larger stadium on such issues as traffic, adequacy of parking arrangements, public transport, heritage and environmental considerations and the community.
To take one example, Stuart Ayres said today that the stadium would be a venue not just for sport but for entertainment generally. Concerts at Allianz Stadium already cause massive traffic snarls. A transparent, detailed business case for the larger stadium will help ensure that problems such as this are fully addressed.
Once all elements of the business case are fully disclosed and understood, and if the numbers still stack up, the Government will need to allocate the necessary funds to address problems, as part of the overall funding for the new stadium.
Finally, Mike, Moore Park is for the people not for parking, equipment and machinery. The community uses and needs this green space. Please make sure a large slice of Moore Park isn’t used for 7 day a week parking and as a holding paddock for machinery and equipment.
Michael Waterhouse
Convenor
Saving Moore Park Inc.
11 April 2016
Saving Moore Park Inc. is a genuinely independent community group, unaffiliated with any political or activist group or individuals. Using our website, Facebook and twitter, we have acquired strong community support, with more than 2,500 supporters in a little more than two months.
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