The Tasmanian Greens say that if the Premier won’t stand up to the AFL, they will.
“Tasmanians have made it crystal clear they strongly oppose building a billion-dollar plus stadium at Macquarie Point,” said Greens Leader Rosalie Woodruff.
“But despite this, and all the major issues with the project, Jeremy Rockliff has refused to even attempt renegotiating the AFL deal.”
“Today we are writing to AFL CEO Andrew Dillon to call on him to abandon the heartless and unfair approach the league has taken so far, and to rethink their position on the stadium.”
The Greens along with Labor had provided tripartite support with the Tasmanian Liberals for an AFL team bid, when then-Premier Peter Gutwein promised them that a stadium was not part of the deal.
Since a stadium was announced over two years ago, the Greens have opposed the stadium project but continue to support the AFL team.
The Greens’ call was echoed by crossbenchers Miriam Beswick (independent, Braddon) and Rebekah Pentland (independent, Bass). The northern MPs pointed out that ‘pushing ahead with an extremely popular plan will only serve to divide Tasmanians further and put the future of the Devils at risk’.
The Greens letter is reproduced below along with the Beswick-Pentland statement.
Media release – independent MHAs Miriam Beswick & Rebekah Pentland, 21 May 2025
FRESH TALKS NEEDED OVER STADIUM SAGA
Northern independents Rebekah Pentland and Miriam Beswick are calling on the State Government to facilitate an urgent meeting with the AFL and the newly elected Federal Labor Government.
“They owe it to Tasmanians to come together and find a better way forward,” Mrs Pentland said.
“The stadium saga is dividing the state and putting our AFL dreams at risk.
“Polling shows an overwhelming majority of Tasmanians believe the state has been treated unfairly by the AFL.”
The EMRS poll commissioned by Federal Group shows 59% of Tasmanians believe the AFL has treated the state unfairly, compared to just 21% who say the process has been fair.
The polling also found the majority of Tasmanians don’t want the Government to exceed its spending cap of $375 million, while the decision to remove the stadium from the PoSS project is also broadly opposed.
Just 35% of Tasmanians support the stadium.
“That’s a long way short of a mandate,” Mrs Pentland said.
“The AFL can no longer ignore the sentiment of Tasmanians.
“The three key players need to sit down and find a way forward that exposes taxpayers to less risk.
“Blindly pushing ahead with an extremely popular plan will only serve to divide Tasmanians further and put the future of the Devils at risk.
“I understand the club’s desire for a new stadium but it can’t come at the expense of future generations and a divided state.”
Braddon independent Miriam Beswick believes the Federal Government can play a constructive role.
“Federal Labor is in a unique position to sit down with the AFL and the State Government to find a path forward that Tasmanians can live with.
“The issue is creating a bitter split and exposing taxpayers to debt we can’t afford.
“What should have been an enormously positive chapter for our state has turned into an economic and social calamity.
“There must be a better way forward.”
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