The group that prompted a community meeting to address concerns over the proposed AFL High Performance Centre on Hobart’s eastern shore has pulled out of the event.
‘Save Rosny’s Parks’ members will “reluctantly” no longer attend Wednesday’s meeting, the group says, after the Clarence City Council “insisted on an agenda dominated by speakers in favour” of the facility.
The group had the council call the meeting in April following a petition against the project that received over 1,000 signatures.
The High Performance Centre is a requirement for Tasmania to hold onto its AFL licence, along with the proposed multi-purpose stadium at Macquarie Point.
Public opinion remains divided on the potential Rosny Parklands and Charles Hand Park location, with some residents seeing it as an ideal fit and others opposed to sacrificing their open space.
Clarence City Council CEO Ian Nelson and Mayor Brendan Blomeley are scheduled to speak at the meeting, along with representatives from the Tasmanian Football League and Department of State Growth, plus time for questions from the public.
Save Rosny’s Parks was given an allocation for two representatives, one of whom would have spoken on the appropriateness of the site and another on the consultation process, a decision they labelled as “totally unreasonable”.
“The CCC is deliberately pushing it’s own agenda and trying to silence any community critics,” the group claimed, adding the council had “taken over the agenda to silence” comments from those against the Rosny location’s being used.
“The meeting was intended to give the petitioners the opportunity to question the council and state the reasons for their opposition to the [facility] in our parks.”
The group is now planning to hold their own meeting.
The Clarence City Council maintains that the point of the meeting is to focus on the topics raised in the group’s petition, including the appropriateness of the proposed location and the public consultation process, with representatives there to answer any questions.
“The panel has been convened to represent each of the key parties directly involved in the project.”
“This spread of panelists will provide the best opportunity for questions relating to the site location and consultation process to be answered by the most appropriate person on the night.”
‘Yes AFL Team, Yes Stadium’ supporters backing the High Performance Centre have indicated they will have a strong presence at the event.
The meeting will start at 7pm on Wednesday, May 15, at the Citywide Baptist Church in Mornington.
Updated 12:45pm, Tuesday May 14: Less than 24 hours after pulling out of the meeting, the Save Rosny’s Parks group have decided they will again attend after all.
A spokesperson said “enormous support and encouragement” from the community and “some” councillors had prompted a rethink of their decision.
“SRP will participate to ensure that the Clarence community is heard and that the AFL HPTC is located at a more appropriate site,” they said.
The group stands by their previous statements that the meeting had turned “pro-AFL”.
