Australia's rugby union execs "have urged action to address the dilapidated state of Allianz Stadium" as the state government prepares to spend more than A$1B ($790M) on upgrades to ANZ Stadium, according to Andrew Clennell of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. Allianz is described as a "dangerous deathtrap" in a leaked letter from the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust, but NSW Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance "has yet to offer an upgrade plan." The government is expected in the next month to announce a A$1B-plus investment in ANZ Stadium out of the A$1.3B ($1.02B) it has promised for stadium upgrades, "but it is unclear how quickly Allianz could be upgraded." The SCG Trust has written to the heads of the sporting codes using Allianz Stadium with "dire warnings of the state of the 31-year-old venue." Independent certifiers said that they can only guarantee the stadium should remain open for another three years without an "urgent injection of funds." If the government "were to rebuild Homebush before spending any money on Allianz, it could be five years before work is started" at the Moore Park venue. On Sunday, Australian Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver became the "latest figure" to ask that NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian fund upgrades of both Allianz and ANZ Stadium. Pulver: "Allianz Stadium is the venue which hosts the majority of professional rugby content in NSW and currently lacks appropriate amenity, corporate hospitality and accessibility" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 8/14). In Sydney, Adam Pengilly reported NSW Shadow Sports Minister Lynda Voltz "will demand answers" on why the NSW government spent A$200M to buy back the lease to ANZ Stadium, which she claims has left Sydney Olympic Park Authority officials "nobbled" in the feud over the "once-in-a-generation stadiums funding split." Voltz promised to raise the issue in the budget estimates as the SCG Trust warned on Monday that an urgent A$137M ($107.6M) safety upgrade "is required." Voltz "went on the attack" over the trust "using its political muscle to get what it wants at the expense of western Sydney." Berejiklian is awaiting a business case on the ANZ Stadium proposal, which is "expected within the month." But Voltz "slammed the decision" last year to bring ANZ Stadium under the Venues NSW umbrella in a "buy-back from its former private ownership," while the SCG Trust has "agitated for a greater cut" of the A$1.6B stadiums spend. Voltz said, "[ANZ Stadium officials] can't say anything because they've nobbled them. This is the Sydney Cricket [and Sports] Ground Trust doing what the Sydney Cricket [and Sports] Ground Trust always does, using its political muscle to get what they want" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 8/14).
