Future jobs and economic growth in Wollongong were the catch-cries from the NSW Opposition on Friday as they revealed a multimillion-dollar pre-byelection pledge.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Opposition Leader Luke Foley was in the city to announce a $50 million commitment to upgrade the WIN Entertainment Centre (WEC) – should Labor win government.
Mr Foley was flanked by the party’s candidate for the November 12 Wollongong byelection, Paul Scully.
“This is a fantastic announcement for Wollongong; the first upgrade of our entertainment centre since a Labor government invested and built it in 1998,” Mr Scully said.
“Labor backed our region back then and built the entertainment centre and Labor will back it again.”
The upgrade would see the WEC transformed into an entertainment/convention centre and become the second-largest of its type in NSW.
It’s a plan that’s been in the pipeline for years, largely driven by an alliance of business groups and Wollongong City Council.
Wollongong lord mayor, and Mr Scully’s independent byelection challenger, Gordon Bradbery has been heavily involved in the convention centre push.
Mr Scully said the Labor commitment came “on the back of hard work and a community campaign”, before praising groups like Destination Wollongong, the Illawarra Business Chamber, the council and UOW.
Such praise was not forthcoming for Cr Bradbery specifically or the former Wollongong MP, Labor’s Noreen Hay. Ms Hay was a staunch advocate of the WEC redevelopment.
Cr Bradbery didn’t read much into not being mentioned, describing Friday as a “good news day” and saying he was pleased the Opposition was supporting his endeavours for the city.
“I’ve been working on this for yonks, inasmuch as under the lord mayor we’ve corralled all the stakeholders for the refurbishment of the WEC,” he said.
“The final link in the chain is to have the state opposition on side and now I can go to the state government ... and get it across the line.”
Given the business case for the WEC upgrade was yet to be completed, Cr Bradbery accused Labor of “just plucking numbers out of the air” in relation to its $50 million pledge.
The lord mayor said he had already started negotiations with Liberal MP, and parliamentary secretary for the Illawarra, Gareth Ward.
“I can work with both sides and my approach is what’s in the best interests of Wollongong, not the best interests of a party,” he said.
As Labor’s cash promise was announced outside the WEC, the sound of construction at a nearby building site could be heard.
“This is about jobs and economic activity for Wollongong,” Mr Foley said.