Media Release: Premier Must Resolve Stadium Process Uncertainty for Community

Premier Must Resolve Stadium Process Uncertainty for Community

3 April 2025

Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb today called on the Premier to either commit to allowing the current Project of State Significance assessment of the Macquarie Point AFL Stadium to proceed to its scheduled conclusion or provide a clear date announcing his intention to abandon that process.

“Premier Rockliff should immediately inform Tasmanians when they will hear whether or not the controversial stadium project will be pulled from the current independent assessment underway,” Ms Webb said.

“The Tasmanian Planning Commission’s damning Draft Integrated Assessment report is currently available for public feedback with submissions due by May 8.

“Many Tasmanians intending to engage in that feedback and submission processes in good faith, must now be wondering whether it is worth making that effort if the Premier announces he is storming out of the process.”

Ms Webb said the TPC Panel is trying to work in good faith, members of the community are trying to participate in democratic consultation processes in good faith.

“Yet rather than demonstrate leadership both the Liberal Government and Labor Party are acting in bad faith.

“Let’s be clear: the Premier’s admission he is considering abandoning the current PoSS process is confirmation his ill-advised white elephant stadium project has failed its first test.

“In a sulk, the Premier is now considering taking his ball and leaving the field.

“It is the AFL bigwigs who should be benched, not Tasmania’s independent planning umpire.”

Ms Webb said with both Liberal and Labor cowering before the bullying tactics of the AFL and abrogating their responsibilities to the Tasmanian electorate, the State now faces 18 interstate AFL club bosses forcing their views upon the state.

“It is unacceptable and extraordinarily disrespectful for the AFL to seek to blackmail and exploit Tasmanians’ deep-rooted wish for our own AFL team.

“It is outrageous that both the Tasmanian Liberal Government and so-called Labor Opposition are capitulating to such blatant blackmail efforts instead of standing up for all Tasmanians, for good governance and evidence-based decision making,” Ms Webb said.