Stop NSW Government WASTING $2B Rebuilding SFS & Olympic Stadiums

The issue

We, the undersigned, respectfully call on the Premier of NSW, Gladys Berejiklian, and the NSW Cabinet, to reconsider their decision to knock down two perfectly fine sports stadiums - the Olympic Stadium and Sydney Football Stadium - at a staggering cost of $2Billion, to replace them with new ones, at a time when there is ZERO public demand to replace either.

We are tired of taxpayer dollars being lavished on building facilities for Sports Big Business, while community sport withers on the vine for lack of facilities and resources.

We, the undersigned concerned citizens of NSW, believe our money could be better spent with the likes of 100 X $10 million projects being funded across the state, so towns, suburbs and regions could see a thousand fields, pools, courts and arenas bloom, doing something for the wider people of NSW and not merely the tiny percentage involved in elite sport. 

We believe some of the money could be used to lower registration fees for kids playing a variety of sports, to remove the obstacles that prevent so many from participating.

This would still allow nearly a billion dollars left over to refurbish the current stadiums, and put much-needed money into other community resources, like schools, hospitals, theatres, galleries, homeless shelters and the like.

Again, we say, Premier Berejiklian, please reconsider.

Thank you,

The Concerned Citizens of NSW

223,108

The issue

We, the undersigned, respectfully call on the Premier of NSW, Gladys Berejiklian, and the NSW Cabinet, to reconsider their decision to knock down two perfectly fine sports stadiums - the Olympic Stadium and Sydney Football Stadium - at a staggering cost of $2Billion, to replace them with new ones, at a time when there is ZERO public demand to replace either.

We are tired of taxpayer dollars being lavished on building facilities for Sports Big Business, while community sport withers on the vine for lack of facilities and resources.

We, the undersigned concerned citizens of NSW, believe our money could be better spent with the likes of 100 X $10 million projects being funded across the state, so towns, suburbs and regions could see a thousand fields, pools, courts and arenas bloom, doing something for the wider people of NSW and not merely the tiny percentage involved in elite sport. 

We believe some of the money could be used to lower registration fees for kids playing a variety of sports, to remove the obstacles that prevent so many from participating.

This would still allow nearly a billion dollars left over to refurbish the current stadiums, and put much-needed money into other community resources, like schools, hospitals, theatres, galleries, homeless shelters and the like.

Again, we say, Premier Berejiklian, please reconsider.

Thank you,

The Concerned Citizens of NSW

Support now

223,108


The Decision Makers

Michael Daley
NSW Attorney General
Responded
Dear petitioners, The fight to stop the Liberals’ reckless spending of $2.2 billion to knockdown down and rebuild perfectly good stadiums isn’t over. Anything that happens from now just stops the clock. It doesn’t stop the demolition. So we really need your help. Currently, the Labor-led Waverley Council and community groups are fighting the demolition in the Land and Environment Court to halt this madness. The court has already heard that a “suppressed” report revealed traces of carcinogenic substances in soil beneath Allianz Stadium. This, under the Berejiklian Government’s watch. The only way to put an end to this reckless waste of taxpayer money is to vote for a Daley Labor Government on March 23. Only Labor can put an end to this Sydney madness. Vote 1 Labor. Michael Daley
Clover Moore
Sydney Lord Mayor
Responded
There are only a few more days to do a submission on the NSW Government’s application to knock down and rebuild the Sydney Football Stadium. Comments close Wednesday 11 July. The stadium plans are an unjustified and scandalous waste of nearly $700 million of public money. The Government made its decision without consultation with the local community and without considering all impacts, especially on precious Moore Park and adjacent residents. The funds should be invested in desperately needed community sport facilities across NSW. The Government’s ‘Stage 1’ application, being assessed by Planning NSW, seeks approval for: - demolishing the stadium and adjacent Sheridan, Roosters, Waratahs and Cricket NSW buildings - a new stadium with 45,000 seats and space for 55,000 people at concerts - a building envelope and general functions, but without buildings designs or operational details. The City of Sydney is completing our submission and I wanted to give you details of my major concerns so that you can make an urgent submission by next Wednesday. Issues you can include in your submission: - Premature demolition: A rushed demolition will force any future Government to continue the project after the March 2019 election. The demolition must be refused at this stage without a detailed design and clear information on the impacts of a new stadium. It’s too late when it’s gone. - Undisclosed expansion: While seat numbers barely change, the plan is for a mega-entertainment venue, with more and larger events, and more intrusion onto Driver Avenue and Moore Park. The real expansion plans and operational impacts must be made public as part of this application. - Worse congestion: The application reports up to 60 per cent of patrons arriving by car—that’s over 13,000 vehicles. Traffic modelling was done for cars arriving, but congestion is worse after games as most people leave at the same time. The traffic study is inadequate and seriously underestimates impacts. It must be completely redone. - Cars on Moore Park: The application claims no new car parking spaces on site because it expects increased demand to be met by the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust. Every car parking space generates extra traffic. The Trust must end parking on our parkland and abandon plans to expand car parks at the golf course, ES Marks Athletic Field and the Entertainment Quarter. We call for cars to be permanently banned from parking on Moore Park. - Public transport inadequate: The only effective solution for event congestion is more and better public transport. Shockingly, the new light rail will move at most 14,000 passengers per hour, leaving many people driving. The State government needs a metropolitan-wide strategy to deliver people quickly and easily to the stadium by public transport, walking and riding. - Destruction of trees: We have already lost too many trees at Moore Park, but at least 28 trees more are to be cut down, with 15 of them identified as ‘worthy of retention with moderate to high landscape significant’. These trees must be protected. - Construction impacts: This unnecessary demolition will create noise, air pollution and congestion from trucks. Concrete will be crushed on site with ‘visual inspections’ of dust and air quality. If approved, this development needs stronger conditions to prevent impacts on adjacent dense residential areas. While the Government initially promised an exhibition period of 42 days, it provided just 28 days–the legal minimum. Don’t miss this tight deadline and click on the attached link to make your submission by Wednesday 11 July.
Gladys Berejiklian
Former politician
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