ACT Greens, Canberra Liberals weigh into new Canberra stadium debate

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr met with Australian Sports Commission officials again this week to discuss the vision for the AIS precinct in Bruce and a plan to redevelop Canberra Stadium.

There is hope Canberra is nearing the end of the "will they, won't they" stadium process, with Barr confident of striking a deal with the federal government and the commission. His preference is to revamp Bruce after investigating options in Civic, Commonwealth Park and Exhibition Park.

But there has been significant fall out in Tasmania after the government committed to spending $375 million - with an additional $240 million injection from the federal government - to build a new venue at Macquarie Point. Two Liberal party members - Lara Alexander and John Tucker - quit, plunging the government into minority as protesters gathered to voice their opposition to the plan, which includes guaranteed entry to the AFL.

ACT Labor, however, is in a significantly stronger political position in Canberra and Barr has been a supporter of a stadium redevelopment - in various forms - since 2009.

But they did need to sign a Legislative Assembly agreement with the ACT Greens to form government after the 2020 election.

Asked if the Greens would support public funding for a new stadium in Canberra, and if the party had a preferred location, sports spokesperson Johnathan Davis declined to directly answer either question.

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He said: "The ACT Greens are committed to supporting the next generation of athletes - that means investing in grassroots community sport.

"We want to see a greater investment in community sport facilities that ensures Canberra remains an equitable, affordable, and accessible place to watch and play sport.

"... While a new stadium presents exciting social and economic opportunities for our growing city, these opportunities must be weighed against the ACT government's immediate infrastructure priorities - priorities that must include building more public housing."

Barr's plan for Bruce includes investing in more housing, and the proposal for Civic also included using land at the AIS for housing.

The Liberals, who have been critical of Barr ditching the Civic convention centre and stadium vision, avoided declaring a stadium funding position. Acting Liberals leader Jeremy Hanson suggested the party would redirect money from the light rail project to Woden into other infrastructure projects.

"As stated previously by Elizabeth Lee a city stadium remains on the table for the Canberra Liberals as we head towards the 2024 election," said acting Liberals leader Jeremy Hanson.

"There is a reason that cities across the world build stadiums in the city centre where there is already surrounding infrastructure including restaurants, hotels, and bars and this would bring significant economic benefit that flows on through to the entire ACT economy.

"The chief minister has spent over 13 years stringing along Canberrans with the prospect of a city stadium and it is astounding he has not even presented a case to the federal government for funding."

The Canberra Raiders and ACT Brumbies are hopeful the stadium issue won't become a political football as they wait for significant movement, hopefully in the coming weeks.

But it could also become a budget or ACT election issue if the stadium funding is as divisive as it is in Hobart.

The NRL and Rugby Australia weighed into the saga last week as they push for Civic to be back on the location radar and there has been ongoing rumours that Commonwealth Park may be considered as an alternative.

Barr is hoping to unveil more details of a long-term infrastructure plan before the ACT budget next month, including an update on the stadium ideas. But it's unclear how much a mooted redevelopment at Bruce would cost, or a timeline for work to be finished.

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