THE state government yesterday defended its decision to spend $86 million on the redevelopment of the Sydney Cricket Ground, after the former Rees and Keneally Labor governments refused to bankroll the improvements because of the stadium's location in Sydney's eastern suburbs.
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A spokesman for the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, said the SCG, which started its 100th Test match yesterday, was an ''iconic'' structure and needed to be upgraded to world standards to ensure NSW did not start losing out on events. He said the grounds had serious maintenance problems that needed to be corrected.
''The SCG will always be the main arena for Test cricket matches - we just have to keep it up to the best possible standards,'' the spokesman said.
But a former Labor minister told the Herald yesterday that the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust's previous requests for state funding had been rejected because Labor did not want to spend taxpayers' money on a facility ''for people from Sydney's eastern suburbs and north shore''.
He said grounds in western Sydney, including Parramatta stadium, were in greater need of assistance.
The former minister said previous plans for the SCG included a proposal to increase seat numbers for private members at the cost to those available for the general public.
But the chairman of the SCG Trust, Rodney Cavalier, denied that assertion yesterday and said the trust had no intention of trying to reduce the long waiting list for SCG memberships.
''That wasn't true then and it is not true now,'' he said. ''There will be an increase in seats for everyone.'' Mr Cavalier said the cricket ground belonged ''to all of NSW, not just to eastern Sydney''.
Mr Cavalier said the NSW Minister for Sports, Graham Annesley, and his federal counterpart, Mark Arbib, should be thanked for helping persuade their respective leaders to contribute to the $186 million redevelopment.
The federal government and Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust have each pledged $50 million for the project.
He said the Noble, Bradman and Messenger stands no longer met the requirements of spectators and sight lines were obstructed by roof-supporting pylons. ''The completion of the stand will provide the people of NSW and Australia with a wonderful legacy,'' he said.
The redevelopment will increase the capacity of the ground from 45,758 to just below 48,000.
A spokesman for the SCG Trust, Greg Campbell, said the seating arrangements were fluid for different events and it was not possible to break down the number of seats for members and the general public.
The MP for Sydney, Clover Moore, said the redevelopment made the need for a new light rail corridor along Anzac Parade more urgent. ''Transport is the issue,'' she said. ''Whenever there is a major event at the cricket ground, transport is in gridlock. I would question the government's priorities in funding this redevelopment.''
Ross Nicholas, a spokesman for a Centennial Park residents association, said it was disappointed residents had not been consulted about the redevelopment before it was announced.
A spokesman for the NSW government said a proposal for light rail to Randwick via the SCG was among a shortlist of projects the state government was considering.
