Media release – Jeremy Rockliff, Premier, 20 October 2023
Project of State Significance Order for multi-purpose Stadium approved by Lower House
An Order seeking to progress the Mac Point Stadium as a Project of State Significance has been approved by Parliament’s Lower House.
The Rockliff Liberal Government is investing in game-changing infrastructure such as the Macquarie Point Urban Renewal Project.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said this Government is turbocharging the Tasmanian economy with our record infrastructure agenda.
“The multi-purpose stadium at Mac Point will be the centrepiece of this important precinct, unlocking investment and jobs,” the Premier said.
“This Order will help progress the Mac Point Stadium as a Project of State Significance, to turn dreams into a reality.”
The Order needs to be approved by both Houses of Parliament for it to have effect.
The Rockliff Liberal Government has the vision, aspiration, and conviction to continue taking Tasmania forward.
“Our Government is delivering on our long-term plan to create jobs and opportunity for Tasmanian families and build more connected communities,” the Premier said.
Media release – Rebecca White MP, Tasmanian Labor Leader, 19 October 2023
POSS process to finally give some stadium answers
After Premier Jeremy Rockliff has been forced into pushing his stadium through the Project of State Significance process, Labor is optimistic that Tasmanians will finally get some answers to the many questions that have made the project so divisive.
Labor will always support Tasmania having our own AFL and AFLW teams, but such rigid conditions for a stadium that will cost the state dearly for years to come should never have been a part of any deal.
Labor has supported the project entering the POSS process because it will give Tasmanians the best chance of finally getting some answers about the true costs of building this stadium to the conditions demanded by the AFL.
This decision is not an endorsement of the stadium. On the contrary, there are so many doubts about the engineering and financing of the stadium that this independent assessment process is the only way to get some transparency about details of the project the government has kept secret.
The process will likely take up to two years to complete and will finally give Tasmanians a say on how they feel about the project.
Whatever the result – after so much spin and bluster and so little detail from this Government – it is encouraging that Tasmanians will finally get some answers from an independent umpire on Jeremy Rockliff’s stadium mess.
Media release – Rosalie Woodruff MP, Greens Leader, 20 October 2023
Labor Backflip to Support Stadium
Tasmanian Labor have completed yet another hypocritical backflip, betraying the community by voting in support of the Macquarie Point stadium in Parliament late last night.
After spending well over a year publicly campaigning against the Liberals’ proposed billion-dollar Hobart stadium, Tasmanians thought they knew where Rebecca White and her colleagues stood on this issue. But in the early hours of the morning, with few people watching, Labor shamelessly capitulated and voted for the project.
In considering the Liberals’ push to make the stadium a Project of State Significance, the question that faced MPs was simple. All Labor had to ask themselves was whether they believe the stadium proposal has merit and should be assessed further, or if they believe it’s the wrong priority for the state and should be stopped in its tracks. Shockingly, Labor voted to give the stadium their support.
During their contributions last night Labor’s Treasury spokesperson Shane Broad said he thought the stadium will cost $1.5 billion, Deputy Leader Anita Dow said it is the wrong priority for the state, and the Leader of Opposition Business Dean Winter said he thinks the stadium won’t even fit at Macquarie Point. However, these MPs and all their Labor colleagues then sided with the Liberals and supported the stadium.
Until recently, Rebecca White’s Facebook page was awash with “stop the stadium” content, and she was sending out media statements saying the project is “completely the wrong priority” for the state when there’s a crying need for homes and hospital infrastructure. Now somehow she’s talked herself into voting for it.
By backing the Liberals, Labor have contradicted everything they’ve told Tasmanians, and helped bring the stadium a step closer to being built.
Labor can make whatever feeble excuse they like for backing the stadium, but the community won’t buy it. If they really believed this unnecessary billion-dollar plus project was the wrong priority for Tasmania, they would have voted against it.
While the Greens are now the only political party opposed to the stadium, we know we have a huge number of Tasmanians – from all walks of life – on our side. We will not stop fighting for spending on the priorities Tasmanians need, and will do everything we can to ensure this expensive white elephant is never built.
Media release – Master Builders Tasmania, 20 October 2023
Builders welcome Parliament approval for stadium assessment
Master Builders Tasmania CEO, Matthew Pollock, has welcomed the fact that the Macquarie Point stadium is another step closer, following parliamentary approval for the project of state significance process.
“Parliament has kicked the ball into play for this vital project,” Mr Pollock said.
“We want to see this project approved by Parliament because it will set up the building sector for a number of years, the site will become the state’s biggest outdoor classroom for hundreds of apprentices and it also means Tasmania will realise its dream for its own AFL and AFLW teams.
“Of course, if the project doesn’t get up, it means no AFL or AFLW teams, no support for our industry and will mean that hundreds of tradies who want to work on world-class infrastructure will have to look interstate for opportunities.
“We are calling on all elected members to consider this project with an open mind, not to treat it like a political football and to make sure they consider the future of the building industry when they make their decision.”
