In the first major ACT infrastructure announcement of the campaign, the former Wallabies captain will on Friday announce he is backing a multimillion-dollar concept design by GHDWoodhead for a large 20,000-seat stadium, combined with a large multipurpose convention centre.

Mr Pocock, who also backs the reopening of the AIS Arena, said a Civic stadium and new national convention centre near the shores of Lake Burley Griffin should be a priority for Canberra to attract big sporting teams, live events and great minds.

"It's insane how we have allowed ourselves to get into this position where we can't actually hold big conferences. We can't hold big sporting events," he told The Canberra Times.

"We've seen a lot of talk, but no one's been actually willing to go in there and talk to both the territory and federal government about making this happen. And with Canberra being such a safe seat, we're missing out. You look at where federal infrastructure funding is going - we're not getting our fair share."

There are currently only three ACT projects on the Infrastructure Australia priority list: one to redevelop and modernise the AIS facilities, another project to develop bus transit corridors throughout the ACT, and a third to upgrade the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge.

The proposal for the current Civic pool site would need a detailed feasibility study, but an ACT government-commissioned study released last year showed a city stadium at the same site seating 25,000 people was possible - although there were challenges with height restrictions, parking and impacts on surrounding roads and structures. The stadium alone opening in 2027 would cost about $582 million.

The stadium complex plan is designed to revitalise an expanding capital which currently has a lacklustre heart, according to Mr Pocock.

"I'm hearing from people in the Canberra business community that this needs to happen. It's holding us back as a city," he said.

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"We've currently a city centre that's kind of got its back turned to Lake Burley Griffin, which really doesn't make sense. And there's obviously been a lot of talk about how we actually utilise the lake, and I think this design would be a big part of doing that."

The Commonwealth government-owned AIS Arena has been shut for the past two years, and there are still no plans to invest the money required to reopen Canberra's premier indoor venue.

The ACT government pays $250,000 per year to lease Canberra Stadium from the Commonwealth. The 1977-built stadium is one of the oldest rectangular venues hosting professional sport in Australia, and hasn't had a major upgrade in the past 20 years.

Mr Pocock is calling for a joint ACT and Commonwealth government commitment to a Civic stadium.

He said he understood the current economic environment was "tight", but he believed the returns from building such a complex would be great for the ACT.

And he said there is great potential for a stadium/convention centre complex to be built through a public-private partnership with super funds looking to invest in large infrastructure projects.

"We've got to start planning. Every year we leave this it is getting more expensive," he said.

"It's been talked about for a long time. We know it needs to happen as a city. It sort of feels inevitable, but we need the political will and actually the vision to say OK, well let's do this, let's find a way forward."

Mr Pocock said Canberra's convention centre was built in 1989 and is "no longer fit for purpose", and Canberra is missing out on millions of dollars in revenue. The cost estimate for a new convention centre five years ago was close to $900 million, and the ACT government said it would not be built without federal funding.

"I'm hearing from people in the Canberra business community that this needs to happen. It's holding us back as a city," he said.

"People in the university sector are saying that they need somewhere that they can hold conferences. They can bring experts from around the world. This is just something that I want to see happen, and I'm willing to get in there and ensure that it's a priority."

The rugby great and long-time environmental campaigner is seeking one of two Senate seats in the likely May election. He is up against Liberal senator Zed Seselja and Labor frontbencher Senator Katy Gallagher, as well as Greens candidate Tjanara Goreng Goreng and fellow independent Kim Rubenstein.

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