OPTUS STADIUM —
OPERATING COSTS
663. Hon COLIN TINCKNELL to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Sport and Recreation:
(1) Can the
minister please explain why Optus Stadium's operating costs will amount
to a $54.5 billion debt, requiring the government to step in and fund it, with
taxpayers' money, over the next three years?
(2) Why is there such a staggering blowout on
operating costs when the stadium is seemingly very well patronised?
(3) What is being done to manage and
rectify this problem?
(4) How much do
private companies like Spotless stand to make from contracts to provide
hospitality and other services to the stadium?
Hon SUE ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) There
has been no $54.5 billion blowout in operating costs for the stadium. The
increased expenditure in 2019–20 budget papers of $54.5 million is
partially offset by additional revenue in those papers of $37.7 million over the
period 2018–19 to 2020–21.
Revenue and expense estimates were
originally established for Optus Stadium in 2015–16. Since that time,
estimates have been updated on a number of instances. In the 2018–19
budget process, substantial additional revenue was included, resulting in a reduction
in appropriation of $29.8 million. Collectively, those two sets of adjustments
mean that we are currently budgeting for Optus Stadium to cost less over the
forward estimates than originally forecast back in 2015–16.
(3) As I have
outlined, the figure represents the series of adjustments as the venue goes
through its first year of operations. Optus Stadium has had an amazing first
year and we are in the midst of one of the best years of sport and
entertainment in Western Australia's history. As the stadium is
projected to cost the state less than originally forecast in 2015–16,
no rectification is required.
(4) The
profitability of private companies that supply Optus Stadium is not information
that the state government has access to.