New Canberra Raiders chairman Dennis Richardson has made an impassioned plea for a fresh stadium in the ACT, claiming the GIO Stadium has passed its use-by date.

Richardson was announced as the new Raiders boss on Wednesday, replacing the late Allan Hawke after his death in August.

A former ASIO boss and secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Richardson said he was desperate to work with both the ACT and Federal Government on the issue of stadiums.

“It’s worth noting that a national stadium was part of the original Griffin plan in Canberra … 120 years ago,” Richardson said. 

“We look forward to working cooperatively with the ACT Government on that.

“But the current stadium has reached its use-by date. I think that is understood.

“Quite clearly as the national capital having a new stadium is an important priority.”

Stadium deals have been one of the talking points of the NRL in the past year with funding for the upgrade of suburban grounds in Sydney pushed back by the NSW Government.

Canberra meanwhile have long hoped they will have a new ground to play out of, having claimed earlier this year a “vastly inferior” stadium to all others in the NRL was keeping fans away.

Richardson said he was also keen to work with the Brumbies on the matter, with no preference of the location of the stadium provided it was built.

“Most state governments around the country have in recent years built new stadiums,” Richardson said. 

“Optus Stadium, Adelaide Oval, the Tasmanian government are speaking about constructing a stadium in Launceston or Hobart.

“We are a little behind on that front. 

“But we do need to understand the ACT Government have a lot of competing priorities. And we need to work with them, not against them.”