Nerves jangling ahead of do or die stadium vote
Plans for a Tasmanian AFL team remain on a knife edge ahead of a do-or-die parliamentary vote on a divisive stadium proposal.
The island state’s upper house will begin debating on Wednesday whether to approve a $1.13 billion, 23,000-seat roofed venue at Macquarie Point in Hobart.
The stadium is a condition of the Devils entering the AFL and AFLW in 2028, with a deal signed by the ruling Liberals in 2023.
“It’s a big week for this project and I have to say I’m a little worried and nervous about the outcome,” Prime Minister Jeremy Rockliff told reporters on Tuesday. he said.
In order for the stadium to pass, the votes of at least eight of the 15 members of the upper house are required.
Some declared their decisions both ways, and the outcome remained in the hands of a handful of independents.
While the votes of undecided former mayor Bec Thomas and builder Dean Harriss are seen as crucial, the votes of Ruth Forrest, who has criticized the project, are not exactly a lock.
In her statement to ABC Radio, Ms. Forrest said, “We are coming to the end of the work. I will make my final decision after listening to the other members in the hall.”
“With the cost and (the state’s) declining credit rating, it’s hard to support (the stadium).”
In case of a tie of votes, the convention requires the speaker of the upper house to cast a negative vote. This is Labor MP Craig Farrell, whose opposition party supports the stadium.
The debate could drag on for days until the final vote is taken and Mr. Rockliff meets with undecided independents; This suggests that some are seeking reassurance about surveillance.
Police estimates 15,000 people attended a pro-stadium rally on Sunday; this dwarfed the 1,500-strong crowd at the anti-stadium protest a week earlier.
Tasmania’s planning commission has recommended stadium construction be halted, saying its costs outweigh its benefits and it is too large for the site.
Supporters believe the venue is a once-in-a-generation attraction and will boost the economy.
Ms Thomas, whose support for major sports infrastructure depends on grassroots funding, acknowledged people would be disappointed either way.
“Whatever happens this week, I hope Tasmanians will support each other to heal the pain caused by this divisive stadium debate,” he wrote on social media.
The AFL maintained its “no stadium, no team” mantra.
The league is contributing $15 million and the federal government is contributing $240 million, while Tasmania is paying $375 million plus the rest in loans.
Ms Forrest said the government’s handling of the project was appalling and she felt pressure from both sides.
“The ‘yes’ side sends very evocative, almost threatening messages; the ‘no’ side does almost the same,” he said.
