The AFL-demanded Macquarie Point Stadium

Background to issue:

Since its September 2022 announcement the contentious state government-endorsed AFL stadium at Macquarie Point on Hobart’s waterfront has been subject to serious and growing community disquiet.
While most Tasmanians actively support, or do not oppose, having a state team in the AFL, they do object to being told such a long-held dream is contingent upon an AFL-demanded stadium being built on an AFL-designated site, with significant implications for the character of our capital city.  This feels like blackmail.
Additionally there are serious concerns over the project’s costs, and impacts upon other key stakeholders.

Below is a timeline of key developments in this sorry saga of failed governance, and lack of transparent decision-making in the public interest:

5 September 2022 – Tasmanian Rockliff Government Cabinet decides Macquarie Point will be the site for the proposed new AFL stadium

18 September 2022 –  official public announcement of Cabinet decision, which, (contrary to previous public undertakings) accepted the AFL’s requirement that a Tasmanian team is contingent upon a new AFL stadium based at Macquarie Point.

9 December 2022 – due to public outcry and concerns regarding the large commitment of public funds to the contentious Macquarie Point AFL stadium, the Tasmanian Joint Standing Public Accounts Committee (PAC) initiated a targeted inquiry into the feasibility planning for the new sporting and event stadium in Hobart and Macquarie Point. I was a member of this Committee Inquiry until mid-2024.

11 May 2023 – former State liberal MPs Lara Alexander and John Tucker resigned from the Liberal Party and continued as Independent MPs, citing the government’s endorsement of the Macquarie Point AFL stadium as a major contributing factor to their decision.

16 October 2023 – the Tasmanian Planning Commission (TPC) received a Ministerial Direction to undertake an integrated assessment of the Macquarie Point multipurpose stadium project.  More information on the TPC process can be found on its website here

8 November 2023 – during Legislative Council debate on the State Policies and Projects (Project of State Significance) Order 2023, I voted against sending the contentious AFL stadium to the Projects of State Significance (POSS) process, however the majority vote passed the Order – you can view my speech here.

June 2024 – independent economist Dr Nicholas Gruen commissioned to conduct an independent review of the Macquarie Point AFL stadium project under the April 2024 agreement between the then-Jacquie Lambie Network State MPs and the Tasmanian government.

5 January 2025 – Independent Review of the Macquarie Point Stadium by Dr Nicholas Gruen released.

31 March 2025 – Tasmanian Planning Commission released the Draft Integrated Assessment Report: Macquarie Point Multipurpose Stadium Project of State Significance, and opens period of public consultation on the draft report.

8 April 2025 – Meg Webb MLC  brought on for debate in the Legislative Council her motion calling on the State government, in order to protect the long-term viability of the Tasmanian Devils football team, to seek to renegotiate the timeframes and location of the AFL stadium project in light of serious issues raised by both the independent Gruen Report and the independent TPC Draft Integrated Assessment Report.  Unfortunately, the motion did not pass the Upper House.

13 April 2025 – Premier Rockliff announced his intention to bring into the Parliament specific enabling legislation for the proposed AFL stadium project to bypass the statutory Project of State Significance process undertaken by the independent Tasmanian Planning Commission.

10 May 2025 – Meg Webb MLC speaks at a Our Place – No New Stadium rally on Parliament House Laws, where a huge crowd turned out to add their voice against the AFL-demanded stadium, while supporting a Tasmanian AFL team.

 27 May 2025 – Rockliff Government released enabling legislation for the Macquarie Point stadium for public consultation, with consultation closing on 16 June 2025.

 3 June 2025 – Rockliff Government tabled the enabling legislation for the Macquarie Point stadium in Parliament, despite public consultation apparently open for a further two weeks.  The Bill sought to terminate the Project of State Significance process by revoking the State Policies and Projects (Project of State Significance) Order 2023.

10 June 2025 – Tasmanian Planning Commission held a directions hearing in relation to planned public hearings to examine submissions on the Draft Integrated Assessment Report: Macquarie Point Multipurpose Stadium Project of State Significance. Hearings are planned for 25-27 June, 30 June, 1-3 July, Reserve days 7-9 July

11 June 2025 – The Tasmanian Parliament was prorogued for an early snap election.  (This meant the Rockliff government’s enabling Bill to stop the PoSS process lapsed, allowing the TPC to continue with their statutory obligations under the PoSS Order as passed by the Parliament in November 2023.)

15 June to 13 July 2025 – The Tasmanian Planning Commission holds 13 days of hearings.

19 July 2025 – State election day, which saw a minoirty government returned.

15 September 2025 – The Tasmanian Planning Commission Expert Panel completed its Integrated Assessment Report on the Macquarie Point Multipurpose Stadium Project of State Significance, recommending that the “…Project should not proceed“.  The Premier immediately and publicly rejected the TPC’s findings, stating it would be put before the State Parliament to decide.

18 September 2025 – The Tasmanian Government announced a revised cost estimate of $1.13 billion for the Macquarie Point stadium.

8 October 2025 – The Tasmanian Government releases its written response to the Tasmanian Planning Commission’s assessment of the Macquarie Point stadium.

17 October 2025 – Meg Webb MLC was one of the 18 Tasmanian local, state, and federal political representatives who wrote to AFL CEO Andew Dillon seeking an urgent meeting with the AFl to reiterate the strong community concerns regardign the project, particularly in liight of the TPC Expert Panel’s findings.  

29 October 2025 – A delegation of the letter signatories travelled to Melbourne and met with the AFL’s Chief Operating Officer, Tom Harley. where they reiterated their support for Tasmania having an AFL team but expressed concerns about the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium’s impact on Tasmania.

4 November 2025 – Minister Abetz tabled the State Policies and Projects (Macquarie Point Precinct) Order 2025 in the House of Assembly.

4 November 2025 – Meg Webb MLC tables and debates in the Legislative Council her motion to establish a special Select Committee for the Legislative Council to examine the Tasmanian Planning Commission Expert Panel and its Integrated Assessment Report and considerations. The Upper House supported Ms Webb’s motion, with 11 non-government MLCs as Members of the Select Committee.

13 November 2025 – The House of Assembly debates and passes the State Policies and Projects (Macquarie Point Precinct) Order 2025. Yes vote 25 (Liberals/Labor/ Ind. D. O’Byrne / Shooters & Fishers C. Di Falco) vs No vote 9 (Tas Greens / Ind. K. Johnston / Ind. P. George / Ind. Gz Razay / Ind. C. Garland)

21 November 2025 – A Mineral Resources Tasmania report published online, the Study of the Sand Inventory of Southeastern Tasmania ,  indicates the State has run out of construction grade, concrete-suitable coarse grain sand in South-East Tasmania, raising critical consequences for large scale construction projects including the AFL demanded stadium, as sand will now need to be brought in from somewhere else, increasing building costs.

23 November 2025 – Meg Webb MLC speaks at the Our Place-No New Stadium Rally, Parliament House Lawns Hobart, where thousands of Tasmanians turned out to express their opposition to the AFL-demanded stadium.

27 November 2025 – The Legislative Council Select Committee holds its hearings with the Tasmanian Planning Commission Expert Panel on its Integrated Assessment Report and considerations.

3 December 2025 – Debate in the Legislative Council commences on the State Policies and Projects (Macquarie Point Precinct) Order 2025. Meg Webb MLC delivers her marathon three hour speech detailin why she will be voting against the order based on the independent evidence provided by the Tasmanian Planning Commission, and other economic, cultural, environmental and democratic concerns.

4 December 2025 – The Legislative Council final vote on the State Policies and Projects (Macquarie Point Precinct) Order 2025 which was passed, 9 in favour vs 5 against.

But, there is still a long way to go . . .

My Position

In short – I do not support the state government’s expensive and divisive thought-bubble AFL stadium at Macquarie Point on Hobart’s invaluable waterfront.
In the Legislative Council I detailed my opposition to the stadium in my formal speech delivered on Wednesday 3rd of December 2025, prior voting against the Stadium Order on Thursday the 4th of Decemebr 2025. My speech and final vote reflected my reasoning and position summarised below.

While I support a Tasmanian AFL team, it should not be contingent upon an AFL-demanded stadium at Macquarie Point.   I believe there are alternative and responsible options that would provide for an AFL team for our state without the imposed stadium-strings attached.

I consider the government-endorsed stadium structure at Macquarie Point to be utterly unsuitable, not just for the Cenotaph and matters to do with Cenotaph sightlines and sense of place, but also for our world renowned Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, the historic Sullivans Cove maritime waterfront area and the sense of Hobart as a place.  Mac Point is the wrong place for this particular structure.

We cannot afford it.

The proposed AFL stadium at Macquarie Point is not fiscally responsible nor is it a priority for many in the community. On the 18th of September this year, just days after the Tasmanian Planning Commission Expert Panel delivered its Final Integrated Assessment Report on the proposal, the state government released a revised cost estimate of $1.13 billion for the Macquarie Point stadium.

This follows previous blow-outs in the stadium project estimated costs.  Previously we were told the costs had increased to $945 million (up from the original estimate of $715 million) and we can only expect this trajectory in cost blow-outs to continue. Particularly following the November downgrading of Tasmania’s credit-rating by both credi-ratign agencies, Moodys, and Standard and Poors.

Additionally a Mineral Resources Tasmania report released on 21 November 2025 raises serious concerns that Tasmania has run out of construction required concrete-suitable coarse-grain sand in the south east, meaning the additioanl transportation costs to bring in sand from elsewhere, will probably also be incurred.

Respect independent evidence-based analysis

I voted against sending the contentious AFL stadium to the Projects of State Significance (POSS) process during Legislative Council debate on the State Policies and Projects (Project of State Significance) Order 2023 – you can view my speech on that debate here

However, once the Parliament had determined via majority vote to declare the stadium a Project of State Significance and send it to the independent TPC umpire, we had a responsibility to allow that process to proceed until its conclusion.

The TPC Expert Panel’s verdict could not be clearer: the Mac Point stadium should not go ahead.

The TPC final Integrated Assessment Report explicitly shows that the stadium will diminish the economic welfare of Tasmanians as a whole, will have irrevocable adverse impacts on Hobart’s unique character and historic cultural heritage, and its benefits will be significantly outweighed by the disbenefits it creates.

These serious concerns, which cannot just be managed into being acceptable, were reiterated by the TPC Expert Panel when it appeared before a Legislative Council Select Committee which I moved to establish in November to help inform the Upper House’s debate on the government’s Stadium Order.  The transcript and parliamentary broadcast of the hearings of this Select Committee, which were held on the 27th of November, can be found here.

Other Pressing Priorities

I firmly believe Tasmania has other urgent funding and investment priorities, such as boosting public housing, accessible health services, quality education and reliable public transport services, tackling the growing climate change crisis, to highlight a few, that would be more fiscally responsible to fund than the Macquarie Point stadium project.

My Consideration of this Issue

Since 2022 I have, and continue to, to engage with and listen to community representatives, and stakeholders with professional expertise regarding impacts and ramifications of the Macquarie Point AFL stadium project.

Informed by my ongoing community engagement, stakeholder consulttion, involvement in the range of parliamentary and public debates on this matter since 2022, and also my participation in:

  • The Legislative Council Select Committee on the Tasmanian Planning Commission’s Integrated Assessment Report (which I moved to establish and subsequently Chaired in Novemebr 2025); and
  • The Joint Standing Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Process into the Proposed Hobart Arts, Entertainment and Sports Precinct (I was on this committee inquiry from December 2022 until mid-2024);

I hold the following concerns:

  • The state government’s broken promise that a Tasmanian AFL team would not be contingent upon paying for any new AFL-required infrastructure;
  • The failure by government to consult fully and in good faith with key stakeholders related to the Macquarie Point site including the local Tasmanian Aboriginal community, the Returned and Services League of Tasmania (RSL Tasmania), Vietnam Veterans Association (Tasmania), TasWater, Hobart City Council, the TSO, and Cricket Tasmania;
  • The risk of ongoing financial costs to Tasmanian taxpayers, particularly in light of ongoing inadequate and continually changing costings data, particularly in light of the state’s credit-rating down-grading in Novemebr 2025 by both credit-rating agencies Moodys, and Standard and Poors;
  • The disproportionate scale of the proposed structure for the site and the broader Hobart environs;
  • Impacts upon Tasmania’s historic Cenotaph;
  • Impacts upon other valuable sectors contributing to the Tasmanian community and economy, and the broader loss of public amenity to the community;
  • Inadequate consideration of traffic and transportation impacts both during and post construction;
  • The lack of an integrated public transport plan for the precinct;
  • The lack of sound informed process and clear failure of good governance principles;
  • The irresponsible fostering of division in the community by the belligerent attempts of the AFL and the state government to bulldoze aside legitimate community and stakeholder concerns regarding the stadium project.

 

Concerns over Unnecessary Division

The distressing level of community division that has been wrought is of deep concern. Sadly, I believe this has been fostered by the government’s belligerence and deliberate disparagement of expert independent assessment and advice, which is an irresponsible approach to decision-making and governance.

Following the December 2025 Parliamentary vote on the stadium Order, there will need to be purposeful efforts to heal the division that has been so damaging to our community.

There is still time and capacity for common-sense and decency  to prevail.  There is still a long way to go. The responsible course of action has been, and remains, for the AFL and state government to move forwards and renegotiate the deal in a mature, responsible and constructive manner.to ensure our Devils men and women’s teams are not contingent on an unaffordable and divisive white elephant.

You can see more of my AFL Stadium-related work below:

Legislative Council vote.  On Wednesday, 3rd of December 2025, I delivered my formal speech in the Legislative Council, arguing against the ill-conceived AFL Stadium Order (the State Policies and Projects (Macquarie Point Precinct) Order 2025 (No. 49), detailing why I would be voting against the order, and for protecting the unique cultural, historic and environmental characteristics of our capital city and for our economic future.

Although my speech took just over three hours, I felt I owed it to the many thoursands of Tasmanians who so clearly see the AFL-demanded stadium presents unacceptable risks to our state’s future, to take the time and ensure those concerns, and warnings, were placed on the formal public record as well as I possibly could.

You can view the Hansard transcript and parliamentary broadcast of my speech here

On Thursday the 27th of November 2025, I chaired the Legislative Council Select Committee into the Tasmanian Planning Commission Expert Panel Integrated Assessment Report (on the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium).

The 11-MLC strong Select Committee heard from all five Expert Panel Members during this important public hearing.

You can view the Committee hearings transcript and parliamentary broadcast in full here

On Tuesday the 4th of November 2025, I debated in the Legislative Council my motion to establish a Select Committee to provide an appropriate mechanism by which the Tasmanian Planning Commission independent expert panel could be examined by Members of the Legislative Council regarding its Macquarie Point Stadium integrated assessment and final reports. 

We have heard many others, including the State government, assert what the TPC Expert Panel did or did not consider  – the Legisaltive Council decided we wanted to hear from the Expert Panel themselves, but in an approrpiate transparent and non-politicised manner.

You can view my debate speech in full here

On Saturday the 10th of May 2025, I was invited to address the No New Stadium rally on Parliament House Lawns, Hobart.

During my speech I highlighted the cataclysmic failure in political leadership by the Liberal government which had allowed the AFL-demanded stadium at Macquarie Point to divide our community, and put at risk our state AFL team.

I also reiterated my call that seeking to renegotiate the deal is the sensible and mature course of action that Tasmanians should expect their political leaders would take.

You can view my rally speech in full here

On the 8th of April 2025, I brought on for debate in the Legislative Council my motion calling on the State government, in order to protect the long-term viability of the Tasmanian Devils football team, to seek to renegotiate the timeframes and location of the AFL stadium project in light of serious issues raised by two independent reports:

  • the Independent Review of the Macquarie Point Stadium report by independent assessor Dr Nicholas Gruen, dated 1 January 2025; and
  • the Tasmanian Planning Commission (TPC)  Draft Integrated Assessment Report of the Macquarie point Multipurpose Stadium Project of State Significance (draft IAR)  released on 31 of March 2025.

You can view my parliamentary speech in support of my renegotiate AFL deal motion here

On the 9th of December 2022, the Joint Standing Public Accounts Committee (PAC), of which I was a member at the time, initiated its own inquiry into the feasibility planning for the new stadium proposed for Macquarie Point.

Although the PAC inquiry is still ongoing under a revised Terms of Reference, the Committee released an interim report on 30 August 2023 which can be downloaded here.

Although I am no longer on PAC, you may be interested in the ongoing inquiry where you can find current submissions and transcripts available on the PAC webpage here.