Labor’s calls for the Macquarie Point Stadium to be brought to Parliament before the end of June are premature. The Tasmanian Planning Commission is still undertaking its assessment of the stadium proposal, and Labor shouldn’t rush it.
The POSS process is already stacked in the favour of developers. At the very least, the Planning Commission should be supported to take the time it needs to properly assess the Macquarie Point Stadium proposal.
The Rockliff Government has consistently failed to provide the Tasmanian Planning Commission with the information it needs to assess the stadium proposal. From the financial case to the moving the Goods Shed, details have been missing from the proposal put to the Commission.
The stadium assessment may be delayed due to the Liberals’ failure to be honest with Tasmanians on their plans, but the Planning Commission should be allowed to do their work free of interference. Labor shouldn’t be attempting to rush proper planning processes for the stadium.
Labor’s calls are especially tone-deaf given recent polling results and a huge public meeting showing that Tasmanians simply don’t want a stadium. Who do Labor work for, big business and developers, or Tasmanians?
Instead of wasting over a billion dollars on a stadium, the government should be investing in Tasmania’s health, housing and education systems.
