Media release – Shane Broad MP, Shadow Treasurer, 6 September 2023
Rockliff keeps stadium costs under wraps
Premier Jeremy Rockliff continues to hide the true cost of the AFL stadium from Tasmanians, while failing to address serious concerns about the proposed Macquarie Point site.
While the Premier has proudly endorsed a report on the stadium from the former CEO of the Wilderness Society, he has failed to address the report’s admission that the stadium will likely cost at least $1 billion and will be unlikely to attract the predicted 44 major events every year.
Even worse, the Hanson Report acknowledges that the Liberals’ failure to obtain a GST exemption means the $240 million of Federal funding ‘would be reduced from future GST calculations over a three year period’, saying this ‘effectively means it is just a loan’.
And while the Minister for Stadia and Events says he ‘hasn’t personally’ seen it, the Premier must clarify whether he has received geotechnical advice that the foundations of the Macquarie Point site are so unstable that water will be hit at the city end of the proposed site after just 2.5 metres.
If this is the case, the site will have to be moved or the Premier will have to rely on an engineering fix – a move that would blow out the cost to even more than the $1 billion he’s endorsed in the Hanson Report.
The Premier has treated Tasmanians with contempt at every stage of the stadium debacle, using his trademark secrecy and lack of transparency to cover up the gaping holes in the case for the stadium – even as the cost of other projects double or triple in costs.
The Premier owes it to Tasmanians to come clean on the true costs of the stadium and open his eyes to the real priorities for the state – the health, housing and cost-of-living crisis.
Media release – Vica Bayley MP, Greens Treasury Spokesperson, 6 September 2023
A Buck Both Ways on Billion Dollar Footy Folly
Today the Treasurer backed in a cost-benefit analysis report created by the pro-stadium lobby as part of its PR strategy. This, despite the inconvenient truth that this report contradicts State Growth’s own cost-benefit analysis, and without any apparent treasury advice to back it up.
Notably, the Hanson report uses a methodology that would not be accepted by the Commonwealth to justify allocation of grant funding. Does the Treasurer accept back of the envelope advice from vested interests on a regular basis?
The Hanson Report also assumes the $240 million commitment from the Federal Government is solely for a stadium. However, when Prime Minister Albanese announced the funding deal, he made it clear federal funding would be for the entire precinct, including housing, a reconciliation park and public open space.
The latest pro-stadium report also neglects to credibly account for blowouts in construction costs. There is not a single project planned or underway in Tasmania that is not suffering extreme budget pressure, with construction costs multiplying by two to four times original estimates.
These funny figures being flung about by the Liberals and the pro-stadium lobby group aren’t funny for Tasmanian taxpayers who will be burdened with debt for generations.
Amidst all of this noise Tasmania is losing a unique opportunity to develop a world class housing, arts, culture and science precinct that all Tasmanians can enjoy and be proud of.
Yes to a Tasmanian AFL team, on our state’s terms. No to a lifetime of debt for a football folly.
Editor’s note: The author of the ‘report’, Russell Hanson, is not independent. He is – in his own words (see below, retrieved from the BelieveTasmanian website today) – a campaigner for an AFL team and now stadium. His report can only be viewed as campaign material.
Twitter thread – Josh Duggan, state political reporter for 7 News Tasmania, 6 September 2023
— untitled —
A parliamentary inquiry into the Mac Point Stadium Feasibility Planning has made a number of findings in an interim report:
– The State Government did not engage with key stakeholders, until a fortnight after the Cabinet decision was made (5 September 2022);
– The AFL Taskforce Report does not state a new stadium was essential to nor should be a condition of a Tasmanian AFL team;
– No evidence was received that identified the basis of assumptions provided by Government to consultants to inform the business case modelling;
– The determination that the proposed stadium should have a fixed roof was initiated by the Govt;
– Assumptions in both the PwC and MI Global Partners Reports include events that arguably could not be held with a fixed roof;
– it is unlikely GST funding would be quarantined;
– The proposed new stadium is expected to be debt funded;
– The Government has been unable to provide detailed modelling to support the public claims of the increase in state revenue;
– In Tasmania, Australian Rules football appears to receive significantly more funding and infrastructure investment than all other sports combined, especially when considered on a per participant basis.
The inquiry will continue under broader Terms of Reference looking into the AFL agreement, site suitability and more.
