Rita Saffioti says NRL deal not a priority as four-week deadline details emerge

The future of WA’s NRL side hangs in the balance, with the State’s new Sports Minister saying she will not be rushed on a deal, despite reports of a four-week deadline from the game’s bosses. With broadcast negotiations looming, the NRL is reportedly eager sign a deal with the WA Government within the next four weeks, to get a clearer picture over how many teams will be in the competition in 2027. And Rita Saffioti, sworn-in as Sports and Recreation Minister last week, told The West Australian suggestions of upgrades to HBF Park in Perth should not be a part of the deal. Amid speculation taxpayers could foot a $200 million bill to upgrade the ground, Ms Saffioti, who is also the Treasurer and Deputy Premier, said while there were always future redevelopment plans, she thought it had one of the best pitches in Australia. “We hosted a Women’s World Cup there,” she said. “We’ve already spent millions of dollars upgrading it. Incredible new scoreboards. The change rooms were upgraded. The pitch is in very good quality, probably one of the best quality pitches going around. “I don’t like this sort of snobbery about our HBF (Park). I think it’s pretty good.” Asked about the NRL negotiations last week, Premier Roger Cook said he was happy for Ms Saffioti to take over deal discussions. When asked her about the time frame for a deal, she said she would not be rushed. “It hasn’t been my priority, and I’ll get a further update from the Premier about that,” Ms Saffioti said. “I’ve got a lot of priorities, including making sure we roll out our community sports infrastructure — that’s my focus. “There’s a big rugby community in the State, and I know they’re very keen to see a WA side. So this is a sense of delivering for that community.” The comments come amid mounting pressure from the east, including from powerful Australian Rugby League Commission boss Peter V’Landys, with eagerness to hold urgent talks with the State Government in coming weeks. Ahead of bargaining for the league’s broadcast rights, the game’s powerbrokers want an answer on when the Western Bears will be joining the competition, along with a new side in Papua New Guinea. Speaking on television just days after the State Election, Mr V’Landys was asked about the speed of a deal with WA, after the re-election of “his mate” Mr Cook and suggested there had been a pre-poll hush deal not to discuss the matter. “Look, it’s got to happen quickly and Roger and I made an agreement just before the election, or well before the election, that once the election started, we would down tools and wouldn’t discuss it,” Mr V’landys said. “That’s what we did. So now the ball is in their court to come back to us. We put a proposal to them, so it’s up to them to come back to us.” The Sunday Telegraph claimed this week there was economic modelling which showed a benefit of $52 million a season to WA from the new club. But the cost to WA taxpayers remains a mystery, with ongoing reports of a $320m demand from the league, including a $120m licence fee. The Telegraph also reported that while the money would not go to the league — as promised by Mr Cook in the last days of the election campaign — the Government may consider upgrades at HBF Park and the creation of a Centre of Excellence for the Western Bears. NRL legend Wayne Bennett, the current coach of South Sydney, said he believed WA could bankroll a team. “Western Australia has a market, so we can grow our national footprint by going to Perth,” he said. “Some of Australia’s biggest companies are in Western Australia, so they have the resources and the population to make an NRL team work.” Bears director Billy Moore, who has been involved in the talks with WA, said he hoped a deal for the team was not dead. “This is not a shotgun marriage, it’s a perfect fit,” he said. “Until the box is ticked and we get the nod, I accept there is a possibility that something could go wrong. “But I know from our talks the WA Government very much wants a team in Perth.” The negotiation firms as the first major test for Ms Saffioti as Sports Minister, who told The West in a wide-ranging interview of her deep love of sport, and her excitement at taking on the portfolio. “I love it because it brings people together and I know it sounds a bit emotional, and sometimes I get teary about it, but the thing about sport . . . everyone’s differences are suspended,” she said. “Everyone comes from different cultures, different socio-economic groups, and for two and a half hours people have one common goal, and that’s to see their team win, “I find sport, in today’s day and age, is what brings people together, and I love being part of that and if I can foster that, that’s incredible.” As part of last week’s reshuffle, Ms Saffioti shed tourism for the sporting portfolio. But as the longest serving Transport Minister in WA history, she said suggestions she considered surrendering that portfolio were wrong. “I’m very proud of what we’ve delivered. I’m very, very proud of our past eight years,” she said. “If you look at some of the feedback we got through our research, through the election campaign, one of the biggest factors people recognised was our delivery of infrastructure. “Having that strong record, there was no way I would have voluntarily given up transport.”

Rita Saffioti says NRL deal not a priority as four-week deadline details emerge

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