Work on a new AFL stadium in Hobart may face the loss of workers to Queensland’s Olympics building boom.
Tasmania Premier Jeremy Rockliff revealed his concerns in state parliament late last month when questioned on the stadium.
Pressed by Opposition Leader Josh Willie, the premier told the House of Assembly: “What I am concerned about is enabling legislation in Queensland that allows (for) significant infrastructure development, including a stadium for the 2032 Olympics.
“That might see Tasmanian workers sucked out of our state and into Queensland to build their stadium. I don’t want that.
“They should be staying here, building our stadium — not only building our stadium, but our future as well,” he said.
Rockliff claimed there was no option but for the project to go ahead.
“We cannot afford not to proceed with the stadium infrastructure; the sooner we do this the better,” he says.
Parliamentary approval is needed for construction to start on the shovel-ready site on Macquarie Point.
The pro-stadium camp received a setback when the Tasmanian Planning Commission ruled against the project, a finding that the state government since rejected; click here to read the report in full.
(The stadium is also opposed by many Hobart residents; one local woman called the entire process “a debacle”.)
STADIUM COST CONCERNS
Opposition Leader Willie repeated Labor’s support for the project, which is critical to the state securing AFL men’s and women’s teams.
“However, that doesn’t mean that Tasmanians aren’t deeply worried about your ability to manage major infrastructure projects … we share those concerns,” he says.
He pressed the premier on his certainty that the project will be delivered on time and on budget.
The project’s cost has already risen from $715 million to $945m to $1.13 billion, the bulk of that funding covered by federal government.
Rockliff says the revised cost is still “very affordable” given the benefits the project will bring such as attracting more young people to sports, away from screens, and points to a 40% participation increase in Auskick and in basketball as examples.
Willie pointed to the rising cost of the project with a cap on state funding of $375m and asked if there will be a rethink on private investment.
“Are you open to revisiting private investment options to shield Tasmanians from further financial risk?” he asked Rockliff.
The premier replied that greater public funding allowed for greater control but believed private investors will be attracted to it.
“In hotels, hospitality venues, significant investment will be needed to provide more bed nights for interstate people (and) associated with the stadium as they do in other states (like Adelaide, Perth and Townsville),” he says.
“Private investment will come as a result of enabling infrastructure as it has done in other states.”
PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS
Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff questioned the premier about cuts to public sector jobs to avoid budget over-runs.
“The $2bn the stadium would add to state debt means Tasmanians would be paying $50m every year for 30 years to service it,” she says.
“You promised not to increase taxes to pay for your stadium so which services are you going to cut to cover the astronomical cost?”
Rockliff says the budget will be “sustainable” budget but concedes 2500 jobs may have to go.
“It (public sector) has grown a lot over the last few years, particularly through COVID, and exceeded population growth so it is sensible to have a measured approach to ensuring we have the right size public service.”
Independent MP Kristie Johnston asked Rockliff when the total estimated cost of the stadium, and conditions, will be tabled in parliament.
Rockliff says he will table it and that the design is now 70% complete.
“It’s a design and construct contract so it will be difficult to have 100% but the latest estimates will be provided for the parliament to make a choice.”
