New North Queensland Cowboys Stadium Gets Boost With $72M Pledge From Bill Shorten

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten "has gone part of the way to delivering" on rugby player Johnathan Thurston's grand final cry to "build us a stadium," according to Roy Masters of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Shorten has pledged A$100M ($72M) towards a A$250M ($180M) new stadium in Townsville for Thurston's National Rugby League team, the Cowboys, "who won the 2015 NRL premiership." Shorten has "undertakings of support from the Queensland government" to contribute A$100M, as well a A$25M ($18M) "pledge each from the Townsville Council and the NRL." Should the Australian Labor party be elected federally, its A$100M contribution "is also contingent on the Queensland government, local council and NRL all joining the project to build the stadium." The Cowboy's existing stadium has a capacity of only 26,500, with only 15% "roofed and is unpopular with fans," being 20km from the Townsville CBD (SMH, 11/4).