New Tasmania Devils AFL stadium at Macquarie Point set for parliament vote to decide future
But heated debate is expected when the order is handed over to Tasmania’s upper house, the Legislative Council, on December 3 and 4.
There are 15 members in the upper house: three Labor MPs, three Liberal MPs and nine other MPs. This means the support of at least three independents is needed for the order to pass.
The Greens’ Cassy O’Connor, along with independents Rosemary Armitage, Meg Webb and Mike Gaffney, have already stated their opposition to the stadium. This leaves the balance of power to independents Tania Rattray, Dean Harriss, Casey Hiscutt, Bec Thomas and Ruth Forrest.
If at least three of them do not support construction of the stadium, the AFL could suspend the Devils or even revoke their league licence. If approved, the stadium is likely to go out to tender early next year.
Abetz said the stadium will be financed in part by large capital injections from others.
“It is unthinkable that Tasmanians would forgo a $600 million injection into our economy with the permission of the federal Labor government and the AFL,” Abetz said.
“If we don’t go ahead with that stadium, the $600 million that’s coming our way isn’t going to come our way. Now, for that $600 million to come our way, guess what, we have to contribute, too.”
A new stadium is needed: AFL chief Andrew Dillon names Tasmanian Devils in March 2024.Credit: Getty
“Will there be debt? Of course there will be. But if you take this kind of approach, you’ll never borrow to make money.”
The state government has pledged $375 million in public funding for the project; the rest will be borrowed from Macquarie Point Development Corporation.
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The expected cost of the stadium has increased by more than $100 million from the original estimate.
This comes as the fiscally crippled state is headed for $13 billion worth of debt by 2028, the state’s Treasury Department reported.
In its report in September, the Tasmanian Planning Commission cast a harsh assessment of expected construction costs, estimating that the government would likely need $1 billion in debt, rising to $1.8 billion over the next decade.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon has repeatedly said a new stadium with a roof must be built for the club to enter the league, but there is scope for the Devils to split home games in their inaugural season between existing grounds in Launceston and Hobart.
“There is complexity, but there is always complexity when you bring in a new franchise, a new license or a new club,” Dillon said in July.
“But I really believe we’ll get there and we’ll be working with the Tasmanian government to make sure all the conditions of the license are met, including a 23,000-seat stadium with a roof at Macquarie Point… as long as all those points are ticked the license will become unconditional and then we’ll start in 2028.”
The Devils have a membership of more than 200,000 and will field VFL and VFLW teams next season.
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