"A brand new opera on the grand scale would be a great way to kick off the stadium's multi-use platform. The arts and sport align in many places.
"Great opera employs great dance. Dance is incredibly athletic. Our best sportsmen and women often engage with professional body practitioners working in the fields of dance and other related disciplines for the reason that it improves their game and their prowess in action.
"And imagine Jonathon Lemalu, Deborah Wai Kapohai, Rebecca Ryan, Matthew Leese, to name a few, starring in this major arts and culture event.
"And another thing ... many people did not want it [the stadium], but the fact is that it is here now, and we must therefore make the most of it.
"I am an advocate for excellence in the arts and sciences; and sports, too, for that matter. The stadium is for the people first. We have to see it as a community asset. Even if we don't like it as architecture, location, etc. It must be seen as community space for all to benefit from."
