Time is ticking on the Macquarie Point stadium project, with the government aiming to push an order through parliament before Christmas.
Macquarie Point Urban Renewal Minister Eric Abetz on Monday confirmed the government is targeting Tuesday, November 4, to table the order.
He said it must clear both houses of parliament by the end of the year to keep Tasmania’s AFL hopes alive.
“There’s a fair bit of work to do,” he said. “We are anxious and concerned to ensure that the order gets passed by the end of the year so that things can really get moving in the new year.”
“The Legislative Council is the master of its own destiny … we would encourage them very, very strongly to ensure that they deal with this matter before the end of the year.”
Abetz blamed the state election for the squeeze, saying it wasted months that could have been spent progressing the project.
The government also faces a tough test in the upper house, where it needs support from three independents.
Abetz said those crossbenchers want more detail before committing their support.
Labor’s stance is also critical. While opposition leader Josh Willie previously gave unconditional support, Abetz urged the party to publicly reaffirm its position.
“It would be good if Labor were to restate their position,” he said. “We are assuming that that [unconditional support] continues.”
The order is expected to reflect the Tasmanian Planning Commission’s findings and include conditions similar to the 2,500 pages tabled in the last parliament prior to the election.
Even if parliament signs off, construction won’t start straight away.
The design is only 70% complete and still needs to go through tender before builders can break ground, Abetz said.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff is leading negotiations with crossbench MPs, with the government ready to add extra sitting days if needed.
“The premier is doing a fantastic job in negotiating with the crossbench, both in the lower house and the upper house,” Abetz said.
“We are hopeful and confident that the stadium will be passed.”
