Tasmanians Are Speaking — Why Won’t Our Leaders Listen?

This article by anti-stadium activist Janice Overett examines the rapid growth of grassroots opposition to Tasmania’s proposed Macquarie Point AFL stadium through the lens of a Facebook group that has surged from 1,200 to nearly 4,000 members in just two months.

The explosive expansion of this online community reflects broader tensions in Tasmanian politics, where the stadium has become a lightning rod for public frustration over resource allocation at a time when health, education, housing and infrastructure are under severe strain.

The central argument is one of democratic accountability – whilst essential services deteriorate, the Rockliff minority government appears to be prioritising the stadium project to meet AFL demands. Overett questions whether the Liberal-Labor establishment is genuinely listening to ordinary Tasmanians, challenges what she characterises as biased media coverage and asks whether citizens will have a meaningful say in decisions that will shape the state for generations to come.

Why Won’t They Listen?

Over the past year, growing public frustration with Tasmania’s political leadership has found a voice online. What began as a small Facebook group has evolved into a powerful grassroots forum for thousands of Tasmanians who feel shut out of political decision-making.

The group “No Confidence in Jeremy Rockliff” is not just about one man or one policy — it reflects a deep and widening discontent across the state.

In the past two months, the Facebook group “No Confidence in Jeremy Rockliff” has seen explosive growth.

Created on 20 September 2023, the group has expanded from just over 1,200 members to nearly 4,000.

It now attracts around 1,500 visitors a day, with an extraordinary level of engagement — 760 posts in just 28 days, over 12,000 comments, and 68,000 reactions.

These numbers aren’t just statistics. They represent Tasmanians who are frustrated, angry and feeling ignored. They’re speaking out about the unwanted AFL Stadium, the state’s crumbling health system, failing education standards, deteriorating roads and underfunded public services — all areas suffering as funds and political focus are being funneled towards the proposed $2–3 billion stadium and the AFL’s new Devils team.

Tasmanians want to be heard. They want a say. They want the upcoming parliamentary votes in November and December to be conscience votes, not dictated by party lines or AFL pressure.

In post after post, members express a common feeling — that this Facebook group has become the only place they can voice their concerns and frustrations without being dismissed or silenced.

So, the question must be asked – Are the Liberals and Labor listening?

Do they read what ordinary Tasmanians are saying?

Do they even care?

Judging by their actions, it appears not.

Almost every day, the Mercury publishes another glowing article about the supposed “benefits” of the stadium — a narrative many Tasmanians know to be far from reality.

With the Mercury’s increasing bias and paywall restrictions, these articles are often shared and debated within the No Confidence in Jeremy Rockliff group, giving Tasmanians an alternative space for open and honest discussion.

What’s even more concerning is the recent revelation that both the Premier and the Treasurer encouraged the publication of a “puff piece” written by John Perry, a government employee. This raises serious ethical questions. How can this government talk about transparency while orchestrating its own PR spin through the public service?

Premier Rockliff seems to have forgotten that he leads a minority government — one that should be listening, not lecturing.

Each day, the discontent in Tasmania grows stronger. Each day, the Rockliff government — and an increasingly complicit Labor Party — choose not to hear.

The message from Tasmanians could not be clearer:

We are tired of being ignored. We want to be heard. We want honesty, accountability and leadership — not propaganda.

Have Your Say

Tasmanians deserve a government that listens — not one that decides behind closed doors. If you share these concerns, join the conversation on the No Confidence in Jeremy Rockliff Facebook group or share your thoughts here on the Tasmanian Times. Letters to the Editor.

Your voice matters — and together, we can make sure it’s heard.

 – Janice Overett 

Janice Overett has a background in Tasmania’s agricultural and food sectors, having worked for the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania for 15 years, where she was involved with the Royal Hobart Wine Show and Royal Hobart Fine Food Awards. She played a key role in developing the Fine Food Awards into one of Australia’s largest competition food awards.

Overett has become one of Tasmania’s most prominent anti-stadium activists. She founded the ‘No AFL Stadium for Tasmania’ Facebook group, which accumulated 3,300 members, and created a Change.org petition against the project that gathered more than 30,000 signatures. More recently, she launched a petition to Tasmania’s Legislative Council calling for rejection of special legislation that would fast-track stadium approval, and tabled a petition signed by 6,387 Tasmanians through Greens MLC Cassy O’Connor urging the Legislative Council to reject the stadium and renegotiate the AFL deal.

Overett has described running the anti-stadium campaign as difficult due to online harassment, including threats, death threats and identity theft. Her activism positions her squarely in opposition to both the Rockliff government and what she sees as a complicit Labor opposition on this issue.

Tasmanian Times (TT) is a community-based news and current affairs service covering the island state of Tasmania. It exists to provide a diverse presentation of Tasmanian issues. TT creates and supports independent media content utilising the best of modern technologies and tried-and-true practices of public-interest journalism.

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