Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has thrown his support behind the proposed Hobart stadium, saying the project will transform the city’s “magnificent” but underused waterfront site from what he calls “a rubbish dump” into a vibrant new precinct.
Speaking on the Two Good Sports podcast, Albanese laid out an ambitious vision for the Macquarie Point redevelopment. He described it as a once-in-a-generation chance to reshape Tasmania’s capital.
“We support a stadium not just because of what it will do for AFL, but for what it will do in Hobart,” he said.
“The Macquarie Point site is unbelievable. The Derwent is a magnificent river … Hobart’s a great city. It stops and then there’s basically what’s a rubbish dump that has been there for decades.”
Albanese said he was frustrated to visit the site about a year ago and see how little had changed since the federal government committed $50 million for planning all the way back in 2012.
He said the state government had “dilly-dallied around” on developing it for years.
“Thirteen years later, you literally had to watch where you’re walking because it’s not even a dirt road properly and it’s an unbelievable, pristine site,” he said.
The PM wants more than just a stadium. He is pushing for a full-scale development that includes sports facilities, hospitality, housing and more – effectively pulling Hobart’s CBD down to the waterfront.
“You need to have a proper urban development project at Macquarie Point. You need a driver of urban development projects,” he said.
“So as part of a precinct – sporting, hospitality, residential, the full bit – it will bring the CBD down to the river and open up the city of Hobart.”
“So, it’s got to be viewed from that perspective, not from the narrow one that it’s just somewhere where footy will be played for home games for the Devils … It could be amazing if it’s got right.”
He likened the potential of the stadium precinct to MONA’s impact on the city, a project that was initially controversial but ended up transforming Hobart’s cultural and tourism landscape.
Albanese also talked up the potential to attract big-name entertainment acts to Tasmania, calling it a major economic opportunity.
“If you had a stadium that had 23,000 seats in Hobart, acts would go there. It would transform the economics of the way that Hobart functions,” he said.
“Tasmania has so much to offer. It’s a beautiful, stunning state. Every bit of it. But it needs economic activity. And one way you bring economic activity, as Melbourne knows, is by having events.”
But he also made it clear the Commonwealth’s $240 million commitment has its limits.
“We’re not an ATM,” he said. “Our funding is capped. You’ve got to draw the line and bring some responsibility in.”
“At the time we made that contribution, it was opposed by the federal Liberals and state Labor in Tasmania. So it was a big call by us.”
“I did that cooperatively with Premier Rockliff because I supported the urban redevelopment at Mac Point and we looked at the case that’s there. They just need to get on with it and get it done.”
He also pointed to the federal government’s $130 million upgrade of UTAS Stadium in Launceston, which will allow AFL games to be played in both the north and south of the state.
“We’re putting in half the funds to upgrade that so that games can be played in the north as well as the south. But they need to just get on with it,” he said.
“Tasmanians also want their kids to stay in Tasmania. So you’ve got to build the economy. You’ve got to change things and it’s a great way to do it.”
With the Devils set to join the AFL in the coming years and another state election about a month away, the stadium – a requirement of the AFL licence – remains a major political flashpoint.
The Macquarie Point stadium has strong backing from the Liberals, with Labor also promising to progress the development.
The Greens have vowed to stop it, while other parties – including the Tasmanian Nationals and independents like Peter George – are also opposed.
