Media release – Dean Winter MP, Shadow Minister for Economic Development, 5 July 2023

Treasury had no say on AFL deal, stadium, or stadium business case

Jeremy Rockliff’s billion dollar stadium had no input from Treasury and almost as little from his Treasurer.

Treasurer Michael Ferguson told the committee “Treasury advice wasn’t asked for and wasn’t needed.”

This deal is so bad even Mr Ferguson is distancing himself from it, admitting he did not see the AFL deal before it was signed.

It is now clear the reason Jeremy Rockliff didn’t take this deal to Cabinet was because he knew his own team wouldn’t sign off on it.

This is a scandalous failure of governance and far below the basic expectations Tasmanians have of their Government.

The Premier has been reckless. He has effectively written a billion dollar cheque with no Treasury advice and no input from Cabinet.

Mr Ferguson was also unable to say how much the port upgrade, housing and transport corridor will cost or be paid for. Despite not even having an estimate for these numbers, Tasmania has signed up to delivering it.

The process in which the AFL deal and stadium has been undertaken has been amateur hour run by cowboys, with no transparency, no due diligence, and no proper processes followed.

The Committee also heard the Federal Government funding would be lost in future GST distributions. It seems pretty clear the government has known this all along – having not actually written to the Federal Treasurer until after being asked about it in question time.

The Treasurer was also unable to substantiate previous government claims that a stadium would pay for government services – once again hanging his Premier out to dry.

That is because the Premier is lying. Every stadium in Australia loses money – so will this one.

This is all symptomatic of a government that is incompetent, lost its way and has trashed basic governance processes.

And a former Labor Premier says:


Media release – Nic Street, Minister for Sport and Recreation, 4 July 2023

Labor’s division over Tasmania’s AFL team

Labor’s division on the AFL team has deepened as Dean Winter splits off from his Leader’s stance.

In a stark contrast of narrative yesterday, Dean Winter professed his love for the AFL team, and refused to condemn Tassie’s AFL dream like his Leader Rebecca White*.

Instead of parroting Ms White’s usual opposition, Mr Winter stated that “the debate is not about whether we like footy, we love footy, we support footy…”

Dean Winter knows that without a stadium, there is no AFL team.

This response was telling.

It was the first time Dean Winter has publicly changed tack on whether Labor supports an AFL team.

It’s clear that Mr Winter is closing in on Rebecca White because he knows her position is untenable.

The majority of Tasmanians recognise not only the economic benefits the Mac Point Urban Renewable project will bring to our State, but that an AFL team will inspire generations of young men and women right across Tasmania.

It’s time for Rebecca White to be honest with Tasmanians. Is she once and for all going to kill the team, and kill the dream?