Media Release: AFL Stadium is a Case Study of Failed Government Leadership
AFL Stadium is a Case Study of Failed Government Leadership
10 May 2025
The Rockliff government has demonstrated critical failure of leadership over the public backlash to its secret controversial AFL deal, a rally held today by Our Place No Stadium was told.
“There has been a cataclysmic failure of government leadership from the get go over this controversial AFL deal, and it is only getting worse as the government gets more desperate,” said Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb who addressed the rally.
“Lets be clear, the current community division, frustration and looming threat of financial disaster for decades to come is the Premier’s own making,” Ms Webb said.
“A true and fearless political leader would seek to unify the community, not resort to gaslighting to justify broken promises and emotional blackmail.
“How dare the Premier of this state hold our promised team to ransom? How dare he hold its fate over the heads of the community and the Legislative Council, to emotionally blackmail people into legitimising his egregious error when signing up to his secret AFL deal.
“A true leader would not pick fights with community representatives, and would draw the line at pitting sections of the community against each other.
“A true leader would not interfere in the independent assessment Project of State Significance process, but would respect the parliamentary vote that sent this project there, and allow it to proceed to its normal conclusion.
“There is an alternative, where there is political will there is a way. We saw that when the Rosny community stood up and raised concerns over the proposed location of the High-Performance facility in their parkland area.
“We saw successful renegotiation of that facility’s location to the Kingston Sports Precinct, a fantastic result warmly welcomed by the local Kingborough community and myself,” Ms Webb said.
“While that may not be the AFL’s first choice, this was a fantastic win-win for both communities involved, and provides a clear example of what can be achieved through mature renegotiation when our community’s interests are put first.
“The Premier stands warned. He will reap the bitter seeds of division, dissent and thwarted dreams he has sown, if he continues to fail to stand up for all Tasmanians and stand up to the AFL by saying back off, Tasmanians deserve better and we need to renegotiate.
“My moral compass sets a clear direction forward. I will not be dragged backwards to legitimate abandoning democratic independent planning processes, and I will not support any so-called enabling legislation for the Mac Point stadium,” Ms Webb said.
