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  4. 6 May 2003

St George Illawarra Dragons Home Ground

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About this Item
SubjectsFootball
SpeakersBurton Ms Cherie; Kerr Mr Malcolm; Greene Mr Kevin
BusinessMatter of Public Importance


    ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS HOME GROUND
Page: 280


    Matter of Public Importance

    Miss BURTON (Kogarah) [4.05 p.m.]: It is a great honour for me to bring to the attention of the House the return of the St George Illawarra Dragons to Kogarah oval. I note that a few members of the Opposition are leaving the Chamber. I would too, because after the last election it is obvious that there is no place for them in that area. I also know that they have given no support whatsoever to this project. Who is the shadow Minister for Sport? Whoever it is that person is not here. If we knew who it was we might have invited that person to the game on Sunday. The return of the St George Illawarra Dragons has been a hard-fought campaign by the local community since they last played there four long years ago. The Dragons have a long and proud history in the St George area, which was reconfirmed last Sunday with the attendance of the St George legends: Johnny (Chook) Raper, Johnny King, Graham Langlands, Eddie Lumsden, Reg Gasnier, Billy Smith, Norm Provan, Noel Pidding, Kevin Ryan, Matt McCoy, Rod Reddy, Mark Coyne, Ian Walsh and Craig Young. The legends were honoured on the field prior to the match. They will be inducted into the inaugural legends walk, to be built outside the main turnstiles.

    Prior to the amalgamation of St George and Illawarra, St George was one of the most successful Sydney-based teams. Between 1954 and 1966 the club did not lose one single game at Jubilee, our home ground. The success of this project was due to the hard work and dedication of the St George community. Kogarah oval, now officially known as OKI Jubilee Stadium, is the only major sporting facility in the St George region. On Sunday morning 16,000 people crammed into the stadium to watch this history-making return. Tickets for the match sold out two days prior to the event. Fans came from South Australia, Perth, Victoria, Queensland, New Zealand, and as far away as Hawaii, New York and England. Such was the determination of the locals to see the old blood and bandages back at their rightful home that when fans were told tickets had sold out they cut a hole in the fence and opened their own gate at the back of the oval.

    Although the fight to bring the Dragons back to Kogarah began four years ago, the project did not begin in earnest until 18 months ago because the ground needed an urgent upgrade to be maintained as a community facility. The necessary work was assessed and the total cost of the project to upgrade floodlighting and the scoreboard, improve facilities for patrons, those with disabilities and the media, and improve corporate facilities was assessed at $1.85 million. Kogarah Municipal Council immediately kicked in $70,000 for urgent maintenance, and contributed $278,000 in total. The State Government put in $800,000, the St George Leagues Club put in $538,000 and the local community raised an additional $55,000.

    As the money started to roll in, work began. The community project was not without incident. We had a deadline of 4 May and the weather was playing havoc with construction. A whole heap of pavers fell off the back of a truck at Newcastle and our crane, which became bogged at the oval, had to be dug out. With only weeks to go before the first match much work still had to be done. It was then that we once again saw the great spirit and dedication of the St George community. Workers on the site worked through Easter and Anzac Day. They also worked nights and weekends. People came off the streets and offered to make coffee, and 20 dozen doughnuts were donated to keep the workers going so that they could finish the job. Locals were dropping in to help.

    The general manager of St George Leagues Club, Danny Robinson, was there too, sweeping, cleaning toilets and pulling out weeds. Yesterday I spoke to Robert Stone, who was primarily in charge of the project, to ensure that it was delivered on time and was ready for the fans. He said that the way the project was pulled together was amazing. A few weeks earlier he had pondered the scale of works that still had to be completed—the concrete pours and the seats that still had to be installed—and he said to me, "We thought we had no chance of getting through it. Not only was it a community project—and it was marvellous to see the community coming behind us—but I am sure that God is a Dragon."

    I pay a special tribute to people who kicked in and helped. Kinsley Constructions was represented by Roger Kinsley and Greg Weeks. Steve Le Breton did all the things that the builder was unable to do, such as painting. The leagues club's electricians and carpenters put in an enormous amount of overtime to ensure that the project was completed. Right from the beginning R2K supporters were real campaigners for St George to come back home. They attended on weekends to clean and rake up grass and they swept and flattened their own hill, ready for the game on Sunday. I thank also Stuart Collins, the groundskeeper, for the sensational job he did on the grounds; Workforce International, who organised security and traffic plans; my colleagues the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Morris Iemma, who was very supportive, the honourable member for Georges River, Kevin Greene, and the Minister for Energy and Utilities, Frank Sartor. I also thank the General Manager of the Kogarah City Council, Gary Sawyer, and the mayor, Jim Taylor, both of whom are great supporters. They made sure that the project came to fruition and were instrumental in the council getting behind the project.

    I thank also the entire board of directors of the St George Leagues Club, the club's Chief Executive Officer, Peter Doust, and Robert Stone, Danny Robinson, and Warren Lockwood. I thank also the Rockdale City Council and the Hurstville Council. I thank also the caterers on the big day, Fit for a King Catering. I especially thank BHP Lysaght, which donated $70,000 worth of the building materials. I thank also Oki Australia, the naming rights sponsor, and all the builders who pitched in and donated their time to ensure that the project was completed. I also thank Frank Bates, who was employed by the council to raise money. He was able to arrange special deals on the tiles and fencing. The project was a real community effort. Many people donated not only materials but also their time and money.

    I also thank the government agencies involved, particularly the Roads and Traffic Authority and St George police, which did a sensational job in organising crowd control and in the getting more than 16,000 people from Oki Jubilee Oval across to the St George Leagues Club, which is also known as the Taj Mahal. I express my appreciation to the State Rail Authority for organising trains to stop at Carlton so that all the Illawarra fans could travel to the game. I also thank the local residents and the Carlton South Public School.

    I emphasise that the oval is a community facility: it was a community project and the community was united behind it. All the motels in the area were booked out because the game attracted a lot of people and a lot of money to the area. There is a local shop in Carlton that is usually known as "Sharkies". About a week before the game in which the Dragons played the Cronulla Sharks, it smartly changed its name, bearing in mind that all the Dragons fans would have been visiting the area. As a result of the stadium becoming available, rugby union has moved back into the area and this weekend Randwick will play Southern Districts. Soccer has also come back into the area. The Dragons Soccer Club needed a facility so that the team could participate in the State soccer league. The Dragons football team invited the soccer team to come to the Oki Jubilee Stadium, and the soccer team will now be able to meet the State league criteria and participate. The Carlton Public School and Carlton South Public School will also be able to hold their school carnivals at the complex. Zone athletics carnival will also be held there.

    In conclusion, I point out that because of the support of the State Government and the local councils, and the hard work of the St George Leagues Club and the local community, the people of St George now have a top standard regional facility. They will not only be able to see their beloved Dragons play; they will also have a facility available for soccer, rugby union and local schools. The stadium is a great asset for the community. I commend all those who have supported the project. I particularly thank one of my good friends, Michelle Fowler who is a member of the Dragons army. She came into my electorate office four years ago and said, "Cherie, if there is one thing we have to do for the St George area, it is bring the Dragons back home." She stuck by that and was involved in the project. Along with everybody else, she worked hard. It was a real honour to be present on the opening day and see all the Dragons supporters on the hill, waving the red and white.

    Mr KERR (Cronulla) [4.15 p.m.]: It is a great pleasure to participate in the debate on this matter of public importance. Before the Sharks, there was the Dragons.

    Mr Greene: And there still is.

    Mr KERR: That is right, but before the Sharks, Sutherland shire was very much Dragons support territory. We all grew up hearing names like Johnny Raper, Reg Gasnier and Kevin Ryan. It was probably appropriate that the match on Sunday took place between the Sharks and the Dragons. Not long ago I attended a dinner at the Novotel. The honourable member for Kogarah was there; I think it was a fundraising dinner.

    Miss Burton: R2K.

    Mr KERR: That is right. For a moment I was a bit frightened, because I thought the honourable member said that I took her there. Let the record show the true position so that there will be no misunderstanding. The old ground holds a lot of memories, especially the trees where the spectators who did not pay their admission fee used to stand. One of those was Ross May, who was known as The Skull. He used to go around in a St George jacket and often used to stand by the trees on the northern side of the grandstand.

    Mr Greene: Good haircut.

    Mr KERR: Quite so. Every time he went to the barber, he had to pay a search fee! The ground represents an enormous tradition and it is tremendous that it now offers a range of sports and community facilities. Let there be no mistake: The ground exists because of the marshalling of public demand. If my memory serves me correctly, St George took out 11 premierships.

    Mr Greene: From 1956 to 1966.

    Mr KERR: That is quite right. Nobody will ever forget that era in rugby league. The whole of Sydney and the whole of this State followed the matches avidly. St George had a monopoly on the grand final because it was a team of champions and a champion team. Although the fortunes of St George have fluctuated, the loyalty and dedication of its supporters never have. The team has always commanded intense loyalty.

    Miss Burton: John Stanley was there. I saw John Stanley.

    Mr KERR: John Stanley was there? I think he has the Ross May haircut too. The team has lots of great fans: I could mention the Minister at the table, but I do not know whether he was at the game.

    Mr Sartor: I was.

    Mr KERR: You were?

    Miss Burton: I took him.

    Mr KERR: In that case, I should ask the Minister whether Kevin Ryan has conceded defeat yet in Rockdale.

    Mr Sartor: He never will.

    Mr KERR: He probably never will! Kevin Ryan is one of the legends of rugby league, and probably one of the legends of this House. He is a former Labor member for Hurstville and was defeated in the 1984 election. He parted company somewhat with the Labor Party after that. Perhaps he will try again next time.

    Mr Sartor: He has lost his way ever since.

    Mr KERR: He has lost his way every since, the Minister for Energy and Utilities says. Kevin Ryan found his way back to Kogarah Oval and the people were probably happier to see him than they were to see the Minister on that day. Kevin was a great footballer and a great sportsman.

    Mr Sartor: I have never played for St George, I'm sorry.

    Mr KERR: The Minister might be sorry, but there is no way the people of St George are sorry. I was interested to hear what the Minister said about playing for St George. As he became a resident of St George only recently, he may have had residential qualification problems if he had wanted to play for St George at an earlier time. We will wait and see how many free kicks he gets in this House in the next few years. He will probably get a few from his own side.

    I return now to the substance of the motion, which is very much a bipartisan issue. Sunday's celebrations were very much about the achievements of people power. The return of rugby league to Kogarah Oval was not brought about by politicians, it was made possible by the people of the St George area. The people kept the flame of sportsmanship alive. Unless one lived in the St George area and experienced the years of the grandeur of St George one would not understand the identity that that team provided to the St George and Sutherland areas. People felt great pride for Kevin Ryan and Johnny Raper, whose successes were as admirable as those of Mark Coyne. Their qualities and the character that they added to their teams provided role models for people in the area, which has been well served by those who strapped on football boots and carried the name of St George.

    The honourable member for Kogarah mentioned people who were involved in the celebration, so I will not repeat them. However, I am disappointed that the Minister for Tourism and Sport and Recreation did not come into the Chamber to listen to the acknowledgements contained in the speech of the honourable member for Kogarah. Last Sunday's nostalgic festivities were well conducted and included many tributes to those who gave so much to the area.

    Mr GREENE (Georges River) [4.22 p.m.]: In 1966, when I was aged seven, my father and grandfather took me to see my first rugby league game. It was at Jubilee Oval, where St George, at the end of their great reign, defeated Manly. That St George team included Johnny Raper, Reg Gasnier, Ian Walsh, Billy Smith and Johnny King, all legends of the St George football era, as announced last Sunday. From that moment in 1966 I became a proud member of the sporting fraternity of the St George district. The St George sporting fraternity is wider than rugby league, and it is probably the greatest sporting district in the world. That fact was reinforced last Sunday as the St George Illawarra Dragons returned to the district's spiritual home of rugby league, Kogarah's Jubilee Oval.

    The St George district is renowned in many sports. In cricket, the Team of the Century included four players from St George in its 12-player team. They were Arthur Morris, Sir Donald Bradman, Bill O'Reilly and Ray Lindwall. That is a magnificent achievement. In soccer, Australia first participated in the World Cup in 1974 and the team included six players from the St George- Budapest Soccer Club. In rugby union and Australian rules the St George area has been well represented. Last year the St George Hockey Club celebrated its seventy-fifth anniversary. It is worth noting that the St George Hockey Club was the first team to wear the red V, way back in 1930. I have a photograph of that team—with the club's founder, Sid Packham, and the McNeill brothers, both of whom played hockey for Australia—in my office.

    The St George district has also produced one of the world's greatest tennis players, Ken Rosewall, and one of the world's greatest motor racing drivers, Sir Jack Brabham. It has also produced Albie Thomas, the multiple world record holder in athletics. Last Sunday, after attending another function, I parked my car on the western side of Carlton railway station. That brought back memories of 1976, when, as a student for the Higher School Certificate, I parked regularly at that spot and went to the oval, although I was supposed to be at home studying. However, when I needed a bit of relaxation I would arrive at the station, and walk down Jubilee Avenue—as I did last Sunday—to watch the mighty Dragons. As I walked past the Carlton hotel towards the oval and saw the new grandstand, I thought about the old Jubilee Oval of 1966, when I went there for the first time. I thought about Gordon Lowrie selling tickets for junior league raffles and about the doubles sellers—it brought back many memories of great St George administrators, including Frank Facer and Len Kelly. They were the heart of St George.

    As I entered the ground last weekend all those memories came flooding back, as I am sure they did for many of the crowd of 17,000 who had the joy of being part of the return of the Dragons to Jubilee Oval. As the honourable member for Kogarah said, that was a great day for the local community. It was about not only rugby league and sport but community involvement. That community had a sport that drew many footballers to the area. Last Sunday was also about bringing the community together; it was about people supporting people. I congratulate Robert Stone, Peter Doust and the chair of the St George Illawarra Dragons, Warren Lockwood. I thank also Gary Sawyer and Jim Taylor from Kogarah council.

    I thank all the workers who did so much to make sure that the planned celebrations for last Sunday became a reality. In particular I congratulate the St George Illawarra Dragons coach, Nathan Brown, and all the great players on their return to Kogarah's Jubilee Oval. On Sunday I thought about Ron Hayes, the announcer at Kogarah's Jubilee Oval during the 1970s and 1980s, who came out with some memorable words. Most importantly, I reflected on the great tradition of the St George team that will undoubtedly continue now that it has returned to its spiritual home. Go the Dragons!

    Miss BURTON (Kogarah) [4.27 p.m.], in reply: I thank the honourable member for Cronulla and my colleague the honourable member for Georges River for their contributions. I was not born until 1968, so I missed that great sporting era. However, throughout the 1970s and 1980s my grandfather would take me to watch St George play every weekend. On Saturdays I would play netball and on Saturday nights I would stay at my grandparents' house. We would rip up newspapers and put them into bags to take to the game. In the old days people were allowed to throw ripped-up newspapers when the Dragons scored a try. I agree with the honourable member for Georges River that the celebrations were a community effort. From the time the team left the oval in July 1999 the whole St George community never stopped fighting to get their beloved Dragons back home. It has been our long-held view—and it will continue to be our view—that the Dragons are not the Dragons unless they are playing at Kogarah.

    Once again I thank all the members of the community, the club, the council and local members of Parliament who took the time to ensure that these celebrations were a success. It would not have happened if it were not for the dedication of companies that supplied equipment and gave of their time. It was an amazing effort by the whole community. It just goes to show what a great area St George is. I am proud to be part of it and I am proud to represent a part of that community in this House. I again thank Peter Doust, Robert Stone and Warren Lockwood, fantastic supporters who helped to put this project together. As I said earlier, this ground will not just be the home ground of the St George Dragons; it will be a community facility where sports such as rugby union and soccer will flourish. Our schoolchildren can use this ground to develop their sporting prowess. The oval, which looks just fantastic, is second to none—although I am sure I am a bit biased.

    It was good to see John Stanley from 2UE, an avid long-time supporter, at the ground. He was over the moon when he sat back at Kogarah Oval and saw the Dragon army back on the hill. It made me proud to see all that red and white. It would be hard for those who are not St George fans to understand the attachment that the St George community has to its team and to the ground at Kogarah. I have never seen a bunch of happier people filing back into the Taj Mahal to celebrate with players. I congratulate Mark Riddell, who ploughed over the try line taking three Sharks players with him. The whole team and the coach, Nathan Brown, put in a sterling effort to ensure that the crowd was not disappointed. Jim Taylor, the mayor of Kogarah, was the driving force behind this whole project. Gary Sawyer, who was very jovial on the evening, had quite a few beers on this joyous occasion.

    Community spirit is alive and well in St George. There are four more games to be played. It was great to see the community come alive again after such a hard-fought campaign. Being a great lover of sport, I will utilise the ground quite a bit when I go there to watch local boys playing soccer and rugby union. The police play their grand finals on that ground so it will get a lot of use. I congratulate the community and all those who put in such an amazing effort to make the day a success. I thank all those who worked so hard on the slab, the big lump of concrete at Jubilee Oval. A marquee was erected on the slab on the day and there were a few sore heads on Monday, so I do not think much work got done. I pay tribute to the council, the leagues club and the whole community. It made me proud to sit there on the day and watch our team march back onto the ground.

    Discussion concluded.

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