The Rockliff Government can’t keep ignoring both the community and the Parliament on the true costs of its unpopular, unaffordable Macquarie Point stadium.
Polling undertaken on behalf of Our Place – Hobart by respected national pollster, uComms, confirms a strong majority of Tasmanians want updated stadium costings tabled in Parliament.
In fact, the polling number of 74.4% of people wanting transparency on costs reflects polling which shows roughly three quarters of Tasmanians do not support the stadium.
Tasmanians know, every cent that’s poured into the financial black hole that is the stadium is money that won’t be going into health, housing, education, emergency services and climate adaptation.
The Parliament had already passed a Greens’ motion calling for updated stadium costings. The Liberals refused to do so. They’re pretending the Iran war and soaring construction costs have had no material inflationary impact on the projected stadium cost of $1.13 billion. It’s gaslighting of the first order.
The Premier, his Treasurer and ministers are hiding the truth from the people who’ll pay for this project for generations – Tasmanians.
The independent Member for Nelson this week tabled another motion on costs, this time in the Legislative Council. It formally requests the government, at the end of the construction procurement process but before any contract is signed, to table in the Council the highest likely cost of the project and the State’s estimated total contribution.
If it passes, let’s hope the government doesn’t again give the middle finger to Parliament and the community.
The Premier should be up front about it now. Every rational person understands the costs will have blown out significantly. The lack of transparency is shocking.
Ultimately, however, it will all come out. The latest polling strongly suggests Tasmanians will be paying close attention, and they won’t forgive or forget the Liberals for selling out the State to the AFL.
