Country Labor candidate for Orange Luke Sanger has slammed the state government for holding the electorate “to ransom” over a proposed new sports precinct, but said he couldn’t promise funding for the facility should his party win next month’s election.
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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the $25 million development in Orange on Wednesday, adding the proviso that it would only go ahead if both Nationals candidate Kate Hazelton and her coalition government were elected at the March 23 vote.
The precinct would include a 1500-seat rectangular stadium for both rugby codes and soccer games while also including an athletics track and a cricket and Australia Rules Football oval.
I’m not going to promise $25 million because it’s not what I do. I promise things that can be funded.
- Luke Sanger
“It’s pretty disgraceful to have a premier come into a city and basically hold you to ransom over a $25 million sports stadium,” Mr Sanger said.
While he said the proposal is a “great want” for the city, he said Orange had needs greater than a new sports stadium.
“We’ve been pushing for more palliative beds since [2010] and for them to come out with a sports stadium only if they vote for their member is disgraceful,” he said.
While he said he would “definitely push for it”, he couldn’t pledge funds for project should Labor win.
“I’m not going to promise $25 million because it’s not what I do. I promise things that can be funded,” he said.
“Would I love to have it here, 100 per cent. Is it more important than having a four-bed, seven-day-a-week, 24-hour-a-day palliative care centre? I don’t think so.”
Mr Sanger also rejected Ms Berejiklian’s assertion Labor did “nothing” for Orange when last in power, citing the new hospital as an example of a Labor government working with a Nationals member to build infrastructure in the city.
He also said he expected the party to work with Phil Donato should he win re-election with Labor holding power.
“We showed we can work with other members of other parties because that’s what a state government should be doing,” Mr Sanger said.
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