Cassy O’Connor MLC, Greens Member for Hobart
Last night, the Liberals, Labor and four independent MLCs voted to consign Tasmanians to generations of stadium austerity. They voted to support a multi-billion dollar stadium through a corrupted process at a time when the state is already crippled by debt.
They ignored the independent experts and put the commercial interests of the AFL over the wellbeing of the Tasmanian people. It’s the Tasmanian people, of course, who will pay for this decision as services are slashed, public sector jobs are cut and taxes are hiked up.
That’s why so many thousands of people got in touch with us in recent weeks, strongly urging us to reject the Order. They know, we know, that Tasmania simply cannot afford this stadium. It’ll be a massive, money-sucking black hole in the contaminated dust of Macquarie Point.
Labor and those independents who voted this through will never again be able to criticise the government for its misplaced spending priorities, as the blank cheque they’ve written for the Liberals and the AFL makes them culpable. Stadium austerity – that will be their legacy.
The Greens, meanwhile, won’t give up the fight. We’ll keep standing with and for those many, many Tasmanians who know this island and its people deserve better.
Rosalie Woodruff MP, Greens Leader
The stadium order has gone through Parliament, but the fight is not over. The stadium is a long way from being built.
The Greens won’t abandon Tasmanians who are appalled at the decision to trade away critical funding needed for essential health, housing and community services to build an unnecessary stadium.
Let’s not forget – the Pulp Mill legislation went through Parliament, but it was never built. The power of Tasmanians is strong, and the Greens are standing with the majority who don’t support this stadium.
The development has massive problems, it’s still not finally designed, and the costs will obviously just keep rising. The Premier recently said he won’t “be beholden” to $1.13 billion, and has already broken his red line in the sand promise of $375 million.
The Greens have been a consistent voice for the community against spending on a third stadium since day one. We will keep fighting all the way down the line to make sure our debt-ridden budget focuses on funding essential services instead of a stadium we can’t afford and don’t need.
