Upper House Liberal MP, Tjorn Sibma is calling for the Government contract with Optus for the naming rights of Perth Stadium to be annulled at Optus’ expense, in the wake of the hacking saga.

“The issue is that Mark McGowan yesterday posted a $6 billion surplus, there is money in that money bin, the likes of which we have never seen. The original decision McGowan took when he became Premier to sell the naming rights of Optus Stadium was justified on the basis of helping Western Australia to pay down debt,” Tjorn Sibma told Mark Gibson on Perth Live.

“This was a stadium which was built due to the vision of the previous Barnett Government and it was payed for by taxpayers money. So if there was an opportunity to look closely at this contract, understand the reputational harm Optus has suffered and to understand whether or not there is an opportunity to exit the contract at no cost to Western Australian taxpayers, I think we should look seriously at it.”

Optus entered the 10 year, $50 million contract just 5 years ago, which under Sibma’s suggestion, Optus would have to forego roughly $25 million.

“In the context of a $6 billion annual surplus – $25 million is not a significant amount of money. This provides the Government with an opportunity, my preference which I know is a controversial one, is to restore the name ‘Perth Stadium.”

Press PLAY to hear Tjorn Sibma’s full argument on the naming rights of Perth Stadium

A spokesperson for the Premier replied to the Liberal MP’s comments: