Hobart’s proposed Macquarie Point Stadium project is half way to being confirmed as a ‘Project of State Significance’.
Parliament’s Lower House approved an order to progress the stadium project overnight, which will now have to be approved by the upper house for it to have effect.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said despite Labors “negativity, toxic politics and promises to kill our AFL dream”, the party voted to move it as a ‘significant one’.
“This is the biggest hurdle we’ve cleared so far, and we are now a massive step closer to seeing our own team running out, in our own colours, singing our own song,” the Premier wrote on X.
The vote took place just after midnight on Thursday following seven hours of debate on Labor’s defeated no-confidence motion on the Premier.
Rockliff believes the stadium will be a significant step towards Tasmania’s AFL team and will bring investment and jobs to the area.
“This Order will help progress the Mac Point Stadium as a Project of State Significance, to turn dreams into a reality,” he said.
Opposition leader Rebecca White said Labor supported the vote to gain transparency on the true costs and conditions of the project.
“Labor will always support Tasmania having our own AFL and AFLW teams, but such rigid conditions for a stadium that will cost the state dearly for years to come should never have been a part of any deal,” White said.
“Labor has supported the project entering the POSS process because it will give Tasmanians the best chance of finally getting some answers about the true costs of building this stadium to the conditions demanded by the AFL.”
She said the decision was “not an endorsement of the stadium”.
“The process will likely take up to two years to complete and will finally give Tasmanians a say on how they feel about the project.”
Greens Leader Rosalie Woodruff accused Labor of ‘betraying the community’ when they “shamelessly capitulated” with their “hypocritical backflip”.
“By backing the Liberals, Labor have contradicted everything they’ve told Tasmanians, and helped bring the stadium a step closer to being built,” Woodruff said.
