The Greens have been accused of hypocrisy over their opposition to the proposed stadium at Macquarie Point, with the government suggesting the party would rather see towering “plastic bubbles” on the site.
With legislation that will ‘stop the stadium’ due to be introduced into Parliament this week, Parliamentary Secretary Simon Behrakis has labelled the move a “hypocritical political stunt”.
He pointed to correspondence from eight years ago in which the Greens supported the concept of establishing an Eden Project at Macquarie Point.
First developed in England in the late 1990s, The Eden Project features a variety of plants housed under large biome-containing domes inside a 60-metre-deep pit.
In 2016, then-Greens leader Cassy O’Connor promoted the Eden Project as a transformative ecological and tourism initiative.
She said the “once in a lifetime opportunity” would “significantly enhance the strength of our natural brand”.
But Behrakis has suggested the party is promoting conflicting visions.
“After months of outrage citing height and sightline concerns, the Greens’ legislation stands in direct contrast to their previous campaign for Macquarie Point,” Behrakis said.
“It would be ludicrous for the Greens to claim that a development like this can be any lower than 50-metres-tall, as it’s the height required to sustain the ecosystems they want to feature within these gigantic bubbles.”
“How can the Greens stand up today and pretend that they care about the Cenotaph when they’ve previously supported the installation of plastic bubbles that would be higher than the proposed stadium?”
In a statement, Deputy Leader Vica Bayley said the party has “always supported” development on the Macquarie Point site, provided it involves “proper consultation and engagement”.
“Back in 2016 we were pleased to see some interest in the site from the Eden Project and thought it was something the government should consider,” he told Pulse.
“While we liked the general idea, there was never any proposal made, let alone a design drawn up or any idea put forward of the scale such a project might be.”
He said the ‘Hobart Cenotaph Bill 2024’ was being introduced at the request of the RSL because they have been “completely ignored” by the government.
Its purpose, Bayley said, is to protect the Cenotaph “from the Liberals’ stadium and from any other development that would have a negative impact”.
“As a party we have spent years advocating for Macquarie Point to be developed in a way that benefits the wider community and that won’t result in negative impacts on the Cenotaph,” he said.
“We want to see things like housing, a Truth and Reconciliation Art Park, a transit hub and a new State Library.”
