Bryant heads new sports stadium body

THE state government has formed a new body to overcome the impasse between itself and the WA Football Commission over plans to build a new sport stadium. Long-standing Culture and Arts director general, Alastair Bryant, has been moved from that role to be executive director of the newly created working group, the Major Stadia Project, which will handle negotiations with the WAFC, the biggest potential user of the proposed stadium. Mr Bryant will be joined by Department of Sport and Recreation director general Ron Alexander and state solicitor Tim Sharp. Mr Alexander was also a member of the Major Stadia Taskforce. The trio will work directly with the WA Football Commission, which will also be represented on the working group, to assess the financial and governance issues that have stalled the sports stadium’s progress since the John Langoulant-led taskforce made its recommendations to government in May. The taskforce proposed a 60,000-seat stadium in Subiaco or East Perth, with flexible seating arrangements to suit rugby and soccer. It failed to win over any of the key parties, with the WAFC saying it preferred to redevelop the existing Subiaco Oval facility where it has a long-running lease. Sport and Recreation Minister John Kobelke said the government would not assist in the funding of such a redevelopment. Many leading sports administrators have also cast doubt on the numbers calculated by the taskforce to support their case that all sports will benefit from proposed new stadium. WAFC CEO Wayne Bradshaw said he had an open mind on the situation and had agreed to seek to overcome the impasse. "Footy’s position is if the new stadium proves to be the best option we’ll go for that," Mr Bradshaw said. The new MSP group will take control of negotiations, which had been handled directly through Mr Kobelke’s office. "We have formed this group to drill down through the financials that football and the taskforce put forward," a spokesperson for Mr Kobelke said. "They will be working through the questions both sides have to resolve." Mr Bryant’s departure is the second significant change in the arts community in a matter of weeks, with Art Gallery of WA director Alan Dodge announcing his retirement earlier this month. Mark Pownall