Porter and WA Liberals fail the State on stadium

• Turnbull Government rejects opportunity to contribute to Perth Stadium

The Turnbull Government has again ignored the needs of Western Australia, with Federal Social Services Minister Christian Porter today confirming that the Federal Government has refused to contribute to the cost of the new Perth Stadium. 

Premier Mark McGowan wrote to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asking for a contribution towards the $1.2 billion Perth Stadium which was in line with previous contributions to stadia around Australia.

Mr Porter stated today that the 'Commonwealth generally doesn't fund stadiums - this is a very rare event'.  So rare in fact that there have six recent examples:  $100 million towards Townsville Stadium; $55 million - Adelaide Oval; $24 million - Skilled Stadium Geelong; $15 million - Bellerive Oval in Tasmania; $75 million - the SCG; and $90 million - the MCG.

In each of these six cases, Federal Government funds were contributed from either consolidated revenue or Infrastructure Australia grants.

Comments attributed to Treasurer Ben Wyatt:

"The Federal Government has been more than happy to make significant contributions for other stadium developments around the country.  We are once again being treated poorly compared with other States, it's very disappointing but not surprising.

"The Western Australians sitting around the Federal Government Cabinet table have once again sold this State short and have accepted a poor result for WA.

"Christian Porter has failed Western Australians twice.  As a State treasurer, he failed to get funding from the then Federal Government, and he has failed to get funding from the government in which he is a Cabinet Minister.

"The previous Liberal National Government left this project in a mess, it beggars belief that they did not secure Federal funding or the major tenants for the stadium."

Treasurer's office - 6552 5900