'Toilets in crisis': Roy and HG weigh into Canberra Stadium facility fiasco

In a sign Canberra's stadium debate is heating up again, or perhaps just an indication we've been talking about it for too long, the iconic comedy duo of John Doyle ("Rampaging" Roy Slaven) and Greig Pickhaver (HG Nelson) weighed into the issue on the weekend.

"The toilets in Canberra Stadium are in crisis," Slaven bellowed on their weekly ABC show Bludging on the Blindside.

It was, of course, tongue-in-cheek after NRL executive general manager Jaymes Boland-Rudder fronted a senate inquiry into promoting the capital, and pointed to the embarrassing state of the stadium's facilities as a reason why Canberra had fallen behind the rest of Australia.

But it is also a precursor to potential stadium movement this weekend, with the ACT government expected to reveal details of its vision for the Bruce precinct later this week.

It's understood the stadium issue - irrespective of its location - won't feature in the ACT budget to be handed down on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr, however, is expected to update the capital's long-term infrastructure plan later in the week, part of which will be his hopes of a partnership with the Australian Sports Commission to redevelop the AIS and stadium precinct.

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Upgrading the stadium - or building a new one in Civic or at Exhibition Park - have been on Barr's agenda since 2009. The commission - a federal government agency - owns the stadium, stalling Barr's plans.

And after years of dragging feet, Roy and HG stepped up to the plate after getting an email from one of their listeners alerting them to comments from NRL executive Jaymes Boland-Rudder.

Boland-Rudder was in Canberra last week to front a senate inquiry into sport's role in promoting Canberra, and he took aim at the state of the stadium's toilets and amenities.

"The toilets are preventing the community from getting together," Nelson said.

Salven added: "The toilets in Canberra Stadium are in crisis."

The ACT government has a lease agreement with the commission to use the stadium. The government is responsible for the maintenance, staff and booking for NRL, Super Rugby and any other events.

"You would take it that Canberra Stadium would be the sort of place where you could safely take your six-year-old to the toilet without being embarrassed," Slaven said.

Nelson interjected: "Because you would have international dignitaries flowing in wanting to have a look at rugby league from India, from Russia, from wherever else they come from to Australia doing business with government ... 'What are you doing on the weekend? Come out and watch the football'.

"But you can't take them [to the stadium] because it's embarrassing."

Slaven hit back: "You've got to say to them hold [the need to go the toilet] in for the next 80 minutes."

Canberra Stadium is one of the oldest venues still used for full NRL and Super Rugby seasons in Australia.

Barr has travelled across Australia, and to New Zealand and Singapore, to look at stadium options for Canberra. He raised the prospect of building a new stadium on the site of the Civic pool a decade ago, but scrapped that idea last year to focus on a Bruce rebuild.

In the meantime, new stadiums have been built in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Townsville, Parramatta and at Moore Park in Sydney.

"The reason they knocked over the Sydney Football Stadium was women's toilets and hand-rails," Nelson said.

"That's right," Slaven responded. "And it worked! The toilets now are first-class. "Some people only go there not for the footy but just to use the toilet."

The Canberra Raiders and ACT Brumbies have grown frustrated by the stadium inaction from the government, but there is hope a resolution is close.

Barr has been locked in negotiations with sports commission boss Kieren Perkins about the future of the AIS campus, the AIS Arena and Canberra Stadium.

The parties are keen to work together to reinvigorate the site, but there has been no financial commitment from the federal or ACT government or a timeline from when work would start or finish.

While Barr has ruled out the site of the Civic pool as a stadium location, the potential of building an "all purpose arena" in Commonwealth Park has emerged after Barr flagged the prospect of moving the pool to the other side of Parkes Way.

That has opened the door for the NCA to also consider a stadium co-located with a pool if the plan was approved.

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