Canberra Stadium delayed, but cricket gets $1.76m boost

But plans for a new stadium in Canberra have been delayed again after there was no funding for the project allocated in the 2019-20 budget on Tuesday.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr will visit the new $360 million stadium in Parramatta this weekend to watch the ACT Brumbies play against the NSW Waratahs.

Canberra's premier sporting teams and their fans are desperate for a new venue with a roof to be built in Civic to help get crowds back into the stands.

The proposed downsizing of the AIS and potential sale of Canberra Stadium are key parts to the government's venue plan, which will likely become clearly in a 10-year infrastructure report to be detailed later this year.

The government, however, will invest $2.53 million to keep Canberra Stadium up to industry standard over the next 12 months and has allocated money to prepare designs for an improved eastern grandstand at Manuka Oval.

The budget also included:

The government, Cricket ACT and Cricket Australia are also edging closer to a long-term arrangement for elite cricket to be played at Manuka Oval.

It is expected the new deal will include men's and women's international cricket and Twenty20 Big Bash action for up to six years.

This summer the Prime Minister's XI will be against Sri Lanka on October 24 before the Australian men's team play a Twenty20 against Pakistan on November 5.

There will be three women's one-day internationals before five Twenty20 World Cup games in February.

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"The government's support for these matches is part of our agenda to actively support top-level women's sport and grow more good jobs by attracting major events and tourism," the budget papers said of the $1.76 million investment.

The future of Canberra Stadium, however, is set to be delayed until after the new federal Sport Minister meets with Sport Australia officials to discuss the AIS.

The AIS will likely cut in half its 65-hectare site and then spend $200 million on redesigning the campus to make it a world leader again.

However, the plan was being developed with Bridget McKenze as the sport minister. Richard Colbeck has now stepped into the role after the federal election.

Canberra Senator Zed Seselja has offered his support to a new stadium for Canberra while the NRL says it will offer marquee content as an extra incentive for government to fast-track the Civic stadium proposal.