NSW Parliament has been told this afternoon that the upgrade of the Wollongong Entertainment Centre (WEC) is a must following another successful weekend of tourism activities in Wollongong, including the Wigan v Hull FC Super League match.

Member for Wollongong, Paul Scully MP, told the Legislative Assembly during a Private Members Statement (PMS) that the region’s stakeholders were “united” in calls for the Berejiklian Government to invest in the upgrade of the WEC.

He said the WEC was built by a Labor Government and officially opened in 1998, but needed a refurbishment.

Mr Scully told Parliament that performers, like Tina Arena, had mid-performance also called for the WEC to be upgraded.

NSW Labor has pledged $50 million towards the upgrade of the WEC announced during the Wollongong by-election in November 2016.

Mr Scully also noted that tourism was a growing part of the Wollongong economy and that cruise ships were visiting in growing numbers, but the Government had yet to release its 10 year Cruise Development Plan, first promised in 2014.

Comments attributable to Paul Scully MP:

“We’ve had a tremendous few months of many world-wide acknowledged stunning concerts, sporting matches and events hosted by Wollongong.

“Tourism and recreational activities are continuing to play a massive role in the transformation of the Wollongong economy.

“The only missing ingredient is a commitment by the Berejiklian Government to invest in our tourism infrastructure.

“It should be an embarrassment for the Government to be called out by someone like Tina Arena mid-performance for an upgrade to the venue she was performing in.

“The Government needs to get serious about the need to upgrade the WEC, which is supported across the board in Wollongong.

“The Government should match Labor’s $50 million pledge to upgrade the WEC in the June budget.”