Controversial Hobart stadium gets final approval, paving the way for Tasmania’s first AFL team

3 months ago 19

Controversial plans for Macquarie Point stadium in Hobart has been given the official tick of approval by Tasmania’s parliament, green-lighting the Devils entry into the AFL and AFLW.

The 23,000-seat roofed venue was voted through the island state’s upper house of parliament at 11pm on Thursday, following two days of debate.

An artist’s impression of the proposed stadium at Macquarie Point in Hobart.

For the stadium proposal to pass the Legislative Council, the government needed at least eight of the chamber’s 15 votes. The final vote saw independents Bec Thomas, Dean Harriss, Casey Hiscutt and Tania Rattray voted with the Liberals and Labor in favour of the stadium, combining for nine votes.

Independents Meg Webb, Ruth Forrest, Mike Gaffney, Rosemary Armitage and Greens member Cassy O’Connor voted against.

“Mac Point has just passed the Tasmanian parliament. Our democracy has spoken. Let’s unite and move forward together,” Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said in a Facebook post after the vote.

Earlier in the day, Rockliff promised to cap the state’s spending on the controversial stadium at $875 million.

The roofed stadium, which is a requirement for the Tasmania Devils’ entry to the AFL, could face internal redesigns to keep within the budget, or the state could ask the federal government for more funding if needed, Rockliff said.

The total cost will be shared by Tasmania, the federal government and the AFL and is expected to come in at $1.13 billion.

Amid strong debate that Tasmania will be buried in debt, the federal government has committed $240 million to the stadium and the AFL $15 million.

“I’m very confident that we will be able to meet the $875 million. We will manage the project to ensure that happens,” Rockliff said on Thursday.

AFL chief Andrew Dillon launched the Tasmania Devils in March 2024.

With stadium approval now locked in, Devils chief executive Brendon Gale and the AFL can push ahead with coaching, administrative and player signings ahead of the club’s launch in little more than two years. The Devils will play home games at existing Tasmanian grounds before the Macquarie Point stadium is built.

Opponents of the stadium, including the Our Place group, have flagged further protests, but conceded there was no avenue for legal challenges once the stadium is passed.

“While parliament can permit the stadium to be built, it cannot legislate reality to be different. And at some point, reality will doom this unaffordable stadium. The problems will grow to engulf all Tasmanians,” said spokesman Roland Browne.

“None of our political leaders can say they were not warned. And as these problems grow, so too will the endless financial consequences.

“Because the problems will worsen, the campaign against the stadium will continue.”

Browne said it was incumbent on the AFL to “manage the division that its stadium has caused in Tasmania”.

“It [the AFL] was the one that imposed the requirement for a stadium for a 19th team,” he said.

“It’s really pushed Tasmania into this situation and hasn’t given an inch.

“I expect they’re going to wash their hands of it and say it’s Tasmania’s problem, which I think is a tragedy.”

with AAP

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