Media Release: Stadium’s Expected Final Cost Must be Made Public

October 15, 2026

Stadium’s Expected Final Cost Must be Made Public

15 October 2026

Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb today reiterated her call for the Macquarie Point stadium’s revised final costs to be publicly released, now the preferred construction builder, BESIX Watpac, has been announced by the Rockliff Government.

“With the formal announcement that BESIX Watpac have been selected as the Macquarie Point stadium preferred builder, there is no good procedural reason for the final costs to not also be made public once determined,” Ms Webb said.

“Tasmanians may now know who the builder will be, but they remain in the dark over how much the stadium construction is expected to cost.

“In the three years since the stadium’s announcement in 2022 the costs have escalated by over 50 percent from the initial estimate of $750 million to the government’s September 2025 revised cost estimate of $1.13 billion.”

Ms Webb said 12 months since the $1.13 billion amount was confirmed, the prolonged Middle East conflicts clearly present very real ongoing expenditure impacts and Tasmanians deserve to know the final estimated costs.

“At a time Tasmanians are having their jobs cut, reduced capacity to essential services such as ambulances, access to other public support services slashed, they deserve the Government to have the guts to stand up and come clean on the expected total costs of the Macquarie Point stadium which has been foisted upon the community despite expert advice not to go down this route.

“The least Premier Rockliff must do is provide a good faith commitment to Tasmanians that as soon as the final estimated total project construction cost has been determined, it is released publicly, prior the signing of the contract.”

Ms Webb currently has a motion before the Legislative Council requiring the Parliament is provided the final estimated total project construction cost prior the completion of the contract process, which she intends to debate when the Upper House next sits on Tuesday, October 27.

Text of Ms Webb’s motion is available online here: https://megwebb.com.au/motion-tabled-call-for-final-stadium-costs-to-be-released/