Chapter 1: What recent decision was made regarding Fed Square and the World Cup matches?
Every now and then you see a decision made by a public body or a government and you think that's not going to last 24 hours. So despite being encouraged to weigh in, you go, just let's sit here because the backflip will be rapid and spectacular. Sam Edmund is here for Alex Scott and staff to sell your livestock and sell your home. Hello, Sam.
Gerard, let's talk Federation Square, Melbourne CBD. Now, they've been packing out Fed Square for Socceroos games since 2006. 20 years we've had some iconic scenes at Federation Square. Heck, I was there in 2006. Some of the best nights of my life crammed in there with 10,000 strangers and the raucous celebration. So...
The decision from the Melbourne Arts Precinct, as you've just touched on there, to ban live sites. To not show it. To not show it. So, therefore, no live sites. So, therefore, no one attends has been met with all sorts of scathing criticism. Football Australia last night released a statement. Now, they called on the Victorian government to overturn the ban, as they called it.
Sam Kerr called it an absolute disgrace from the other side of the world. Craig Foster said it was ridiculous. And they all lined up to give it a good hard kicking. Pardon the pun. Now that decision has been overruled by our Premier, Gerard Jacinta Allen, who has released a statement today.
Please read that statement to us.
Headline, see you at Fed Square for the World Cup. Yesterday, Melbourne Arts Precinct decided that Fed Square won't show Socceroos matches on the big screen. I disagree with that decision and I am overturning it. The government will ensure Fed Square has the support it needs to put on the matches this year.
Now, the Arts Precinct had said a small minority had ruined it for everyone else, had been damaged to the precinct and behaved that simply was not tolerable. So that was the reasoning behind the decision. Jacinta went on to say, we're also looking at additional events and live sites as so Victorians have more options to watch. Now more than ever, people deserve more free stuff.
to do together in the city. And then comes the sentence I'm not sure we've ever seen from a Premier in a statement before, Gerard. There's always a risk of bad behaviour from a few dickheads at every public gathering, but police and security will be on site and there'll be zero tolerance for it. The World Cup should bring us together, not keep us apart. Good luck, Socceroos.
Victoria is behind you. Yes. So I think the right decision in the end, for what it's worth. I thought it was an extraordinary overreaction and...
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Chapter 2: Why was the initial ban on live sites at Fed Square criticized?
really that gets into a bigger picture of where our state and our city might be at with everything going on at the moment and issues with crime that we do have to strip this away from football fans and fans of sport in general was insane but the right decision's been made albeit with a pretty jarring initial ban and then a jarring statement just there from the Premier but we're going ahead Gerard there'll be kick-off at Fed Square of course we are
But we shouldn't pretend we don't know how we got here. That Matildas game from the semi-final, there were appalling scenes at Fed Square, the knocking down of barriers and the lighting of flares and the like. So let's not pretend we don't know why the decision was made.
Don't bring a flare in.
There's just a way to manage it, and it has been managed successfully for the most part in the past. So I'm not ā it's just such a tone-deaf decision, but we shouldn't pretend we don't know why it was made in the first place.
So behave yourself. And the mob mentality, you're right, had set in in more recent times as well. So always a risk of bad behaviour, as the Premier says, but let's just ensure that all things go well come the middle of the year when the Socceroos kick off in the US for the World Cup. I can't wait to see their AFL teams as they're laid out tonight.
For me, Jed Walter, a real watch in this Gold Coast side tonight and going forward this year. He was dropped last week, Jed. He didn't get a recall after his suspension earlier in the season as well. Six goals, four games. He's had a two-year contract in front of him now for several months. He has not signed it. Ben King hasn't signed his.
The talk for what it's worth among rival clubs for a little while now is that he will stay at Gold Coast. And he's always loved it up there. So does that decision dictate Jed Walter's future? Third season in, already before he is in next year. They want to play and they want to play now, this generation of player, and there will be interest.
Not a lot of it yet, it must be said, which is somewhat surprising, but I reckon the longer he stays out of this side, it'll be like sharks and the blood in the water when it comes to other clubs. West Coast have got an interest, of course, given that's where he was born and where he calls home. raised on the Gold Coast, is an academy guy as well from down the road in Palm Beach.
Pick three in 2023. So Jamar has seemingly come in and gone past him, so really looking forward to see where that goes with Jed Walter. And at Carlton, feels like we've been talking about them all week, but Billy Wilson will play off halfback for them tomorrow night against Brisbane. We know George Hewitt will also play for the first time in a month.
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Chapter 3: What did Jacinta Allan's statement reveal about the government's stance?
Lockie Count in the concussion protocols as well. But with George Hewitt coming in, It'll be really interesting to see again who makes way there if there is a big name, given the imbalance that Carlton identified with having George, Patrick Cripps, Adam Chera and co in that midfield as well. Harry Dean trained during the week as well. So that's good news for the Blues.
All right, Sam, thank you. Thanks, Gerard. Sam Edmonds, whether it's selling your livestock or selling your home, contact Alex Scott and staff today. There's a few people pointed out it is an election year. It's just the right thing to do. So... It was the wrong decision and it's quickly been sorted out.
We just should satisfy ourselves that that's a good outcome and we can gather en masse at Federation Square and watch the Socceroos at a World Cup, which is exactly how it should be.