In 2000 I was proud to live in a city that hosted the \”best Olympic Games ever\”. It was a time when Sydney was unquestionably Australia’s sporting capital.
Disappointingly over the last nine years Sydney as the unquestionable sporting capital has been broken by the NSW Labor Government.
Last week – like you – I was upset to learn that Nathan Rees had failed to secure the long-term rights to keep the NRL Grand Final in Sydney after 2012 – and that Queensland and Victoria were making strong bids to host it.
I attended this year’s Grand Final – and although the Sydney team lost – we are clearly the home of rugby league and should always host the grand final!
Unlike the Victorian Government, which has secured the AFL Grand Final for Melbourne until 2037, Nathan Rees has failed NSW by being lazy or distracted by the ongoing problems within the Labor Party and his leadership.
If Nathan Rees was the captain of the NSW Origin side we would have lost 14 series in a row. It is clear that the major events policy of NSW is for every event of note to end up in Victoria. That is why Victoria got Tiger Woods; we got Brian Eno.
If Nathan Rees’ loses the grand final, NRL will stand for ‘Nathan Rees Loser’.
We need a NSW Government that is 110% committed to ensuring and fighting for Sydney and NSW to be the sporting capital and State of Australia by working with people like David Gallop.
As Premier I will lead a NSW Liberal & Nationals Government that has the energy and determination to keep and bring big sporting events to the ‘Premier State’ of Australia – I’ll make sure we keep the NRL Grand Final in Sydney.
