27/02/2025
Macquarie Point AFL stadium key deadline looms
The Tasmanian government is feeling the heat as a looming AFL licence deadline for the Macquarie Point stadium approaches.
Duncan Abey - The Mercury
February 27, 2025 - 12:00PM
The Tasmanian government has sidestepped questions about whether it is on track to meet a looming AFL license deadline for the Macquarie Point stadium, after coming under renewed political heat over the $715m project.
A day after hundreds of people attended an anti-stadium meeting at Hobart’s Town Hall, and following a recent Tasmanian poll which revealed 59 per cent of respondents opposed the infrastructure proposal, Labor on Wednesday called on Premier Jeremy Rockliff to guarantee that a Project of State Significance assessment decision would be brought before parliament before June 30.
Labor spokesperson for sports and events, Luke Edmunds, said while his party supported a new stadium for Hobart as the home for the Tasmanian Devils, any timing setbacks on the project risked the team’s future in the national football competition.
Mr Edmunds cited a mainland news article which reported “growing angst among AFL presidents” about delays to the Macquarie Point Stadium, and which raised the prospect of the men’s side having its debut season pushed back beyond 2028.
“With doubts over Jeremy Rockliff’s ability to deliver a stadium beginning to cast doubt over Tasmania’s AFL license in national media, Labor is calling on the Premier to commit to the POSS decision coming before the Parliament by 30 June 2025, as per the license agreement,” Mr Edmunds said.
“The biggest risk to the Devils now is Jeremy Rockliff’s minority Liberal government’s failure to deliver.
“Tasmania can’t afford Jeremy Rockliff to stuff up the stadium like he stuffed up the Spirits.
“He needs to start providing some confidence he can get this stadium built, and he should start by committing to the POSS decision coming before Parliament by 30 June.”
The Tasmanian Planning Commission is currently assessing the Macquarie Point Development Corporation’s stadium proposal, with the MPDC recently providing further information about its plans following a request from the Commission.
The Tasmanian government’s contract with the AFL requires it to have obtained “statutory approval” for the stadium’s construction by the end of June, 2025.
While the Tasmanian government did not directly address questions about the looming deadline, Minister for Business, Industry and Resources, Eric Abetz, said work was continuing with the AFL to ensure the stadium and the team were delivered on time.
“Tasmanians are right to question whether Labor is really backing the AFL team and stadium or if they are just pretending,” Mr Abetz said.
Tasmania’s agreement with the AFL requires the stadium to be 50 per cent complete by October 2027, and ready to host matches in the 2029 season.
