Premier Jeremy Rockliff has promised to cap the state’s contribution to the proposed Macquarie Point stadium at $375 million as an attempt to mitigate its impact as an election issue.
The stadium is currently estimated to cost $715 million, with the federal government committing $240 million towards the project.
The election guarantee comes after Labor leader Rebecca White said she would renegotiate the stadium deal with the AFL, while attempting to keep the state’s 19th team licence and follows the Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff in calling for the ‘expensive and unwanted’ project to be scrapped.
“I recognise that this project is not everyone’s cup of tea and that some Tasmanians would prefer that this money was spent in different areas,” Rockliff said.
“I also understand that there are concerns in the community that the final cost of the Stadium could significantly increase, leaving Tasmanian taxpayers with a large, unbudgeted bill.”
He said under a “re-elected majority Rockliff Liberal Government”, the state’s expenditure on the project will end at the currently budgeted $375 million “and not one red cent more”.
Rockliff said that any shortfall in funding would need to be made up by the private sector and confirmed his Macquarie Point Multipurpose Stadium was a more feasible and less challenging option than a ‘Stadium 2.0’ proposal.
“The difference is that the Macquarie Point Multipurpose Stadium is well down the formal planning route, is written into the AFL agreement and doesn’t face the multitude of additional challenges that the 2.0 concept does, including their vast civil and environmental challenge of digging out the cenotaph hill and using it to reclaim the Derwent River for foundations,” he said.
“I note that in taking this decision, the taxpayer contribution will be capped at exactly the same amount as what is proposed but unproven by the proponents of the so-called Stadium 2.0 concept.”
“In fact, based on the information provided, there is potential for the Tasmanian taxpayer to wear the entire $2.3 billion cost of 2.0. Meanwhile, the Macquarie Point Multipurpose Stadium will be capped at $375 million by the Tasmanian Government.”
The project is currently undergoing assessment as a Project of State Significance and will require approval from the next parliament to proceed.
