Greens MLC for Hobart, Cassy O’Connor, has today launched a scathing critique of Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s handling of the Macquarie Point Stadium project, accusing him of “fudging or misleading Tasmanians” about the true costs and demanding he be honest about how the state will fund the growing debt.
Cassy O’Connor MLC, Greens Member for Hobart, 18 September 2025
Premier Needs to Be Honest About How Tasmanians Will Pay for Macquarie Point Stadium
For too long, Jeremy Rockliff has got away with fudging or misleading Tasmanians over the true cost of a new stadium that they, ultimately, will pay for over generations.
From “$375 million not-one-red-cent-more” to yesterday’s confession the projected cost to build is now $1.13 billion, the Premier is treating Tasmanians like mugs.
It’s the fourth upward revision of costs since the stadium was first announced. With construction costs soaring, it’s unlikely to be the last.
The Tasmanian Planning Commission’s report released yesterday is oxygen-clear. On a proponent cost estimate of $945 million, the Commission found the debt attributable to the stadium would be $1.8 billion within ten years.
The report states,
“There will be an ever-increasing debt associated with the stadium because of the compound interest effect, unless taxes are increased, or spending on public services reduced, or other planned state capital projects are abandoned to pay for it.”
Yesterday, Jeremy Rockliff was quick to rule out any new taxes to pay for the stadium. Apart from the fact he can’t speak for a Premier or Parliament in the future, what is his plan to fund his pet project against expert advice?
What services will be cut? What health or education facilities, or critical infrastructure, won’t be funded or upgraded?
The state budget is already in the most dire state in Tasmania’s history.
Loading an extra nearly $2 billion to the debt within a decade is staggeringly irresponsible.
Jeremy Rockliff won’t be Premier when the stadium debt chickens really come home to roost.
He does, however, have a responsibility to be open with Tasmanians now about the likely true costs they will bear for a project foisted on them by the blokes in suits at the AFL and a Premier too desperate for a team to get a good, fair deal for Tasmania.
Labor, meanwhile, has taken a welcome pause from their previous unconditional support for a new stadium but they will only be able to sit on the fence for so long.
It’s time for them to take a stand against this stadium budget bomb.
Image courtesy Philip Bohle.
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