“This shemozzle has gone on for too long and needs to end,” said NSW Business Chamber CEO Stephen Cartwright.
“As the peak voice for business in NSW, we simply cannot stand by and see Sydney miss out on important infrastructure upgrades just because it might be seen as an opportunity to grab some votes,” Mr Cartwright said.
“Sydney is the only truly global city in Australia and we should have world class facilities to match. Thanks to NSW Government investment, we now have the best Convention Centre in Australia and, as a result, we attract conferences from all over the world. This, in turn, delivers substantial economic benefit to our state, not just in once-off delegate spending but repeatedly as those same visitors return to our shores for business or leisure.
“Likewise, the state’s economy receives millions of dollars each year from major sporting and entertainment events, but not having the best facilities in the nation means that these events will increasingly go to other cities.
“When it comes to stadiums that are purpose-built for sport played on rectangular fields such as soccer, rugby and NRL, it is embarrassing that Brisbane has the “world class” Suncorp Stadium, Melbourne has the recently built AAMI Park and Sydney has nothing even close.
“Our election platform is all about Keeping NSW Number 1, yet we can’t hope to do that with facilities that don’t match or exceed the best that rival cities in Australia already have.
“NSW has the strongest balance sheet in the nation, and we have an opportunity to build the best sporting and entertainment facilities in Australia – facilities that will ensure NSW secures and retains the best domestic and international events on offer.
“This is not just about investing in stadia, it is about securing future jobs and economic growth for NSW – growth and opportunity that comes from showcasing the best city in the world to the rest of the world,” Mr Cartwright said.
