The Tasmanian Greens are refusing to back down on their stance that Macquarie Point is the wrong place for a new and ‘unwanted’ multi-purpose stadium.
The proposed project was dealt a blow on Wednesday after the 1915-built railway Goods Shed on the site was given heritage status from the Tasmanian Heritage Council.
Former Greens Leader and Legislative Council candidate Cassy O’Connor sees the listing as a turning point.
She urged Premier Jeremy Rockliff to “rethink” the project in light of the decision, even suggesting he “walk away” from it altogether.
“There are so many issues with this stadium. A billion dollar price tag, the scale of it, the impact on the sacred ground of the Cenotaph, the fact that there’s no mandate for it, the lost opportunity on investing in housing and health and real climate action,” she said.
“It’s really just a sign of how little thought Jeremy Rockliff put into his stadium proposal after being duped and rolling over to the AFL.”
The Greens suggest using Launceston’s existing York Park as the stadium location and preserving the Goods Sheed at Macquarie Point as a public events space.
“Plenty of people in and around Hobart go to gigs at the Goods Shed just where it is with its now precious heritage protection,” O’Connor said.
“It’s really important … that it stays where it is, that it’s looked after and Jeremy Rockliff walks away from his stadium folly.”
The Macquarie Point Development Corporation, however, maintains that the future of the Goods Shed will be factored into the ongoing evaluation of the stadium project.
