Kerry Sibraa's Letter in Manly Daily

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Ramrod

Reserve Grader
from today's Manly Daily "Conversations" (Letters to Editor).

Brookvale Oval stuck in no-win position

Vince Ranger laments the fact that the Sea Eagles will only play 10 of their 12 home games at Brookvale this year, thereby concluding that no further money should be spent on the ground.

What Mr Ranger clearly doesn’t understand is the vicious cycle the Sea Eagles are in. Without funds to provide additional undercover seating the Sea Eagles cannot attract the revenue through the gates that helps make the team financially viable.

The reason the Sea Eagles take two games away is purely financial to ensure we still have a team to support on this side of the Harbour Bridge.

What is particularly irritating is to see governments, both state and federal, pour tens of millions of dollars into grounds like Wollongong, Kogarah, Leichhardt and Campbelltown, that will host either four or six home games this season.

KERRY SIBRAA AO
Life member, Manly-Warringah Rugby League Football Club

---
 
good point and well made.

To see Wollongong and Kograh upgraded is ridiculous.
 
I just can't understand why this issue has been so ineptly handled in the past. The local press seem supportive of the club, the mayors of both municipalities seem supportive, the local member is the State Treasurer and the Federal member is the leader of the opposition, presently positioning himself to be the next PM, are supportive, yet Brookvale lies in the doldrums. It should be pointed out to all that Brookvale is the only stadium on the North Shore capable of hosting any largish sporting event, be it soccer union or athletics. And that ability is surely fading away. If the NRL is going to be successful and keep all Sydney teams in Sydney, then the moneys that flow from State and Federal govts should be in a pot and prioritized on a basis of need. Brookvale is the neediest of all 'stadiums' hosting NRL games, probably followed by Penrith and then the Cows. perhaps the NRL should set aside 100million to develop the grounds themselves. Put in a bid to buy Brookvale off the council and lease it to the club and the municipality.
 
DSM5 said:
I just can't understand why this issue has been so ineptly handled in the past. The local press seem supportive of the club, the mayors of both municipalities seem supportive, the local member is the State Treasurer and the Federal member is the leader of the opposition, presently positioning himself to be the next PM, are supportive, yet Brookvale lies in the doldrums. It should be pointed out to all that Brookvale is the only stadium on the North Shore capable of hosting any largish sporting event, be it soccer union or athletics. And that ability is surely fading away. If the NRL is going to be successful and keep all Sydney teams in Sydney, then the moneys that flow from State and Federal govts should be in a pot and prioritized on a basis of need. Brookvale is the neediest of all 'stadiums' hosting NRL games, probably followed by Penrith and then the Cows. perhaps the NRL should set aside 100million to develop the grounds themselves. Put in a bid to buy Brookvale off the council and lease it to the club and the municipality.
Well said DCM5 . The Brookvale oval debacle is a bloody farce :mad::mad::mad:
 
As soon as there's a federal election money will come. Abbot said as much responding to berkley on twitter. I gotta say nsw liberal government have been disapointing maybe people are still dirty at the episodes of des and zorba before the election.
 
DSM5 said:
I just can't understand why this issue has been so ineptly handled in the past. The local press seem supportive of the club, the mayors of both municipalities seem supportive, the local member is the State Treasurer and the Federal member is the leader of the opposition, presently positioning himself to be the next PM, are supportive, yet Brookvale lies in the doldrums. It should be pointed out to all that Brookvale is the only stadium on the North Shore capable of hosting any largish sporting event, be it soccer union or athletics. And that ability is surely fading away. If the NRL is going to be successful and keep all Sydney teams in Sydney, then the moneys that flow from State and Federal govts should be in a pot and prioritized on a basis of need. Brookvale is the neediest of all 'stadiums' hosting NRL games, probably followed by Penrith and then the Cows. perhaps the NRL should set aside 100million to develop the grounds themselves. Put in a bid to buy Brookvale off the council and lease it to the club and the municipality.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Its because we aren't a marginal electorate. No point spending money in a place that won't win you votes. The solution is simple, everyone who lives in an odd number house vote for labour, even vote for liberal. Guarantee you at the next election Brookvale will have guaranteed funding for a 30000 seat stadium with undercover parking and its own helipad.
 
DSM5 said:
I just can't understand why this issue has been so ineptly handled in the past. The local press seem supportive of the club, the mayors of both municipalities seem supportive, the local member is the State Treasurer and the Federal member is the leader of the opposition, presently positioning himself to be the next PM, are supportive, yet Brookvale lies in the doldrums. It should be pointed out to all that Brookvale is the only stadium on the North Shore capable of hosting any largish sporting event, be it soccer union or athletics. And that ability is surely fading away. If the NRL is going to be successful and keep all Sydney teams in Sydney, then the moneys that flow from State and Federal govts should be in a pot and prioritized on a basis of need. Brookvale is the neediest of all 'stadiums' hosting NRL games, probably followed by Penrith and then the Cows. perhaps the NRL should set aside 100million to develop the grounds themselves. Put in a bid to buy Brookvale off the council and lease it to the club and the municipality.

Actually, Penrith is a great ground, one which I would give my back teeth for.
As for selling Brookvale to a private consortium, that will never happen, even if someone did buy it, the only return at this point in time is around the $300,000 they get from Manly, and that is vitually reduced to zero when you take out other expenses such as maintainance etc, and, a private owner will also have to pay council rates and Land Tax. The only other possible tenants could be Manly and/or Warringah Rugby, but as amateur clubs they couldn't possibly pay the rent that the Sea Eagles pay.
The only possibilities at this stage are, for the State Government to take over the ground in the form of a trust,and develope it, but I don't know how they stand legally and would certainly be objected by a hard core gruop of anti developement protestors, or for us to keep on going as we have been with small injections of sporadic funding, which appear to be only band-aid solutions.
A lot of the anti developement protestors look upon any funding for Brookvale as an injection of funds for The MWSE.
 
Without being political in all fairness the last two elections Howard then abbot have pledge money for brookie but lost the election. I'm going look for his tweet to berks and will post it. Albanese seems more interesting in giving the dogs money for belmore
 
Cambo said:
As soon as there's a federal election money will come. Abbot said as much responding to berkley on twitter. I gotta say nsw liberal government have been disapointing maybe people are still dirty at the episodes of des and zorba before the election.

Are you sure? He's got to make huge cutbacks to fund his policies which he admits, so any huge amount of dollars spent in his electorate on Brookie imo will make him look hypicritical in the eyes of voters.

And before you accuse me of being a labor stooge or whatever that is not the case. I vote in my electorate for the person with the best plan. I live in a national safe seat both federally and state.

And that's the point, safe seats get bugger all.

Cambo said:
Without being political in all fairness the last two elections Howard then abbot have pledge money for brookie but lost the election. I'm going look for his tweet to berks and will post it. Albanese seems more interesting in giving the dogs money for belmore


Politicians can say what they like before elections, doesn't mean they will honour it.
 
Swoop u labor stooges (jokes)
I think normally the prime minister looks after his own electorate.

Here's the tweets

john gleis (@berkeley_eagle)
2/15/12 12:36 PM
@TonyAbbottMHR #asktony Simple BROOKVALE OVAL NEEDS MORE MONEY to bring it up to world class standard

Tony Abbott (@TonyAbbottMHR)
2/15/12 7:07 PM
@berkeley_eagle I agree. We made promise at last election. Related to your question - good luck to the @manlyseaeagles in the WCC! #asktony
 
Masked Eagle said:
DSM5 said:
I just can't understand why this issue has been so ineptly handled in the past. The local press seem supportive of the club, the mayors of both municipalities seem supportive, the local member is the State Treasurer and the Federal member is the leader of the opposition, presently positioning himself to be the next PM, are supportive, yet Brookvale lies in the doldrums. It should be pointed out to all that Brookvale is the only stadium on the North Shore capable of hosting any largish sporting event, be it soccer union or athletics. And that ability is surely fading away. If the NRL is going to be successful and keep all Sydney teams in Sydney, then the moneys that flow from State and Federal govts should be in a pot and prioritized on a basis of need. Brookvale is the neediest of all 'stadiums' hosting NRL games, probably followed by Penrith and then the Cows. perhaps the NRL should set aside 100million to develop the grounds themselves. Put in a bid to buy Brookvale off the council and lease it to the club and the municipality.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Its because we aren't a marginal electorate. No point spending money in a place that won't win you votes. The solution is simple, everyone who lives in an odd number house vote for labour, even vote for liberal. Guarantee you at the next election Brookvale will have guaranteed funding for a 30000 seat stadium with undercover parking and its own helipad.
Great idea !, but that won't help either as there are more odd numbered houses than even numbered houses, when you think about it.
 
You're probably right, the 'Trust' thing is the only way realistically. Barry O, however, doesn't seem to have the balls to do it, or is it he's just another Tigers supporter who hates us. I know Albanese does, and has told me on a number of occasions we'll get nothing from him. .It would seem to me that Tony is our only hope. God help us all.
 
DSM5 said:
You're probably right, the 'Trust' thing is the only way realistically. Barry O, however, doesn't seem to have the balls to do it, or is it he's just another Tigers supporter who hates us. I know Albanese does, and has told me on a number of occasions we'll get nothing from him. .It would seem to me that Tony is our only hope. God help us all.
Do u know the wanker dsm (albanese)
 
I would think that the biggest stumbling block for the state trust idea might be the circumstances and stipulations under which the land was originally donated to council by the Try family many moons ago.
 
Cambo said:
Swoop u labor stooges (jokes)
I think normally the prime minister looks after his own electorate.

Here's the tweets

john gleis (@berkeley_eagle)
2/15/12 12:36 PM
@TonyAbbottMHR #asktony Simple BROOKVALE OVAL NEEDS MORE MONEY to bring it up to world class standard

Tony Abbott (@TonyAbbottMHR)
2/15/12 7:07 PM
@berkeley_eagle I agree. We made promise at last election. Related to your question - good luck to the @manlyseaeagles in the WCC! #asktony

He made the promise in the 2007 election knowing that Howard and the libs were about to be voted out of office. It was 9 mil that he promised so I guess that's what we'll get, not enough but better than nothing.
 

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