Article-Shaping to be a Devil of a Fight in Nelson

The proposed AFL stadium at Macquarie Point looms large over this Saturday’s Legislative Council election battle in the nearby division of Nelson.

Stretching from Sandy Bay in the north to Blackmans Bay in the south – and encompassing the planned site of the Tasmanian Devils’ high-performance centre in Kingston – Nelson in 2025 pits an independent incumbent previously critical of the state government’s deal with the AFL, against a Liberal challenger who is “100 per cent” for the stadium’s construction.

A Greens candidate who described the project as “a dead weight” for future generations of Tasmanians rounds out what is a three-way choice for Nelson voters.

Incumbent member, Meg Webb, who first won in the seat in 2019 after running on a platform of greater transparency in politics, said she would continue using her independent status to establish parliamentary inquiries, scrutinise government policy and spending, and bring community voices to the floor of parliament.

“During this campaign I’m hearing from people concerned about fair and equitable access to affordable and secure housing, health care and education services,” Ms Webb said.

“There is a real sense that the state Liberal government has mismanaged these basic services and that far too many Tasmanians are doing it tough and being left behind.”

Ms Webb, who recently fronted an anti-stadium rally in Hobart to claim Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s agreement with the AFL had jeopardised Tasmania’s long-held hopes of a team, said her stance was based on growing voter unease with the government that extended beyond a single infrastructure project.

“I think the community’s disquiet about the stadium is symptomatic of other concerns, such as losing trust in government over secret deals with corporate mates, the bullying and name-calling of those who dare disagree with them, and arrogance in trying to change the planning rules when it suits them,” she said.

Liberal candidate [edited], whose family has operated a butchery business in Nelson for more than 60 years, said he was running to secure the future of Tasmania’s younger generations.

[The Liberal candidate], who campaigned for the lower house seat of Clark at the 2024 state election, said he wanted to be a parliamentary conduit for those in his community working hard to “get things done”.

The businessman said that after a doorknocking campaign that revealed many constituents wanted greater opportunities in the state, he was even more convinced of the economic and social benefits a new stadium would generate for all Tasmanians.

“Most of the people on the doors in Nelson are very much pro-stadium,” he said.

“We have all seen the benefits of the ‘Mona effect’.

“I know that was private investment, but it’s been 16 years since we’ve had something so significant which puts us on the map.”

Greens candidate [edited] said with the state’s young people currently struggling to access adequate healthcare and housing, now was not the time to construct a new stadium.

“The Macquarie Point stadium would be a dead weight around the ankle of Tasmanians for decades to come.”

Please Note: Due to Electoral Act 2004 restrictions on publishing other candidates’ names and images we are only reproducing in full the excerpt containing Meg’s contribution.  To see the entire article as published, please visit the Mercury newspaper website here (apologies for the paywall)