They say sport and politics shouldn’t mix.
But when it comes to the NRL’s 18th franchise, the Perth Bears, it’s a mantra that’s becoming increasingly difficult to achieve following a full-blooded tirade from WA Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas.
Speaking earlier this week, the State Liberal Party leader and former sports broadcaster repeatedly called out the actions of Labor Premier Roger Cook over the continued—and increasing—public investment being made as the Perth Bears prepare for their debut NRL season in 2027.
Just last Sunday, WA Deputy Premier and Minister for Sport and Recreation Rita Saffioti announced an additional $12.9 million would be spent as part of the existing WACA ground redevelopment to create a new professional training field for the Bears, something Zempilas said was a ‘betrayal’ of the State’s voters.
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“It was 65 million, then another 20 million, then another 13 million, we’re up at around the 100 million dollar mark,” Zempilas declared of the WA Government’s investment in the Bears.
“The Premier said in his own words that ‘no taxpayer money would go to the NRL’—well the NRL own the Perth Bears and the Western Australian public have not been fooled by that cute use of terminology.
“He (Cook) has betrayed their trust, he said no money was going to be spent and nearly $100 million is going to be spent, and the public know it. The Premier will have to live and die by what he’s had to say.”
In a later social media post, Zempilas qualified his position, explaining he was not against the Bears per se.
“Nobody is arguing against having a Perth-based NRL side,” he wrote.
“But this Premier Cook pet project is a broken promise not to spend taxpayer money to [sic] the NRL.”
Zempilas, 54, is the Member for Churchlands and served as Lord Mayor of Perth from 2020 until earlier in 2025.
He rose to national fame as a sports commentator for the Seven network, most notably calling AFL and the Olympic Games.