FEES FARCE HAS TO END

WHAT a farce. Gold Coast footy fans and taxpayers should be up in arms.

It is gobsmacking in the extreme to learn that as well as hiding behind a “review’’ into the pricing practices of an arm of government – and that is exactly what Stadiums Queensland is – which is taking clubs and fans to the cleaners, the State Government has hired a global consultancy to help bureaucrats write a report about what they already know.

How ludicrous that the State Government needs a special review to tell it who is hiring its stadiums, what they’re paying and how out of line those charges are compared to similar venues interstate.

But having a consultancy on tap adds insult to injury. Sports Minister Mick de Brenni only announced the review this week and already taxpayer dollars are being thrown at an outside firm to hold the hands of his departmental bigwigs.

Apart from the cost involved, this must reflect poorly on senior public servants. Are they unable to read the reports and columns of figures from their own departments and from Stadiums Queensland?

When this matter blew up again recently, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk vowed heads would roll on the Stadiums Queensland board. Looking at the makeup of that organisation, there is no shortage of candidates. For a body overseeing nine venues, it seems remarkably top heavy.

A special investigation by News Corp has found Queensland NRL and AFL clubs are being stung heavily to play at their home grounds, with the Titans going so far as to threaten to abandon the Robina stadium and play home games at places like Coffs Harbour, Toowoomba and the Sunshine Coast where they are welcomed and are not gouged for the privilege.

The Titans’ dispute with Stadiums Queensland has been simmering for three years, with the Gold Coasters fed up with paying $110,000 every home game.

There is a glimmer of hope in the Government seeing sense, with news international cricket could come to Metricon. This is the purpose of these arenas.

But the angst over stadium fees has gone on for far too long. Instead of ordering a review to tell it what it knows, the Government has to act now. It risks credibility sitting around waiting for a report by the end of the year while clubs pay hand over fist and fans cop the high cost of taking the family to a game. Ms Palaszczuk is right. Heads should roll. If Mr de Brenni can’t sort this quickly, then the Premier should be looking closely at him.