Dr WOODRUFF question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
Last year the Premier promised Tasmanians his government would invest no more than $375 million into building the stadium. You first said any costs above that would be paid by the private sector, then later you abandoned the plan for private investors. Despite that, you argued he hadn’t broken the cost cap promise. You’ve claimed borrowings are not capital ‑ which has always been ridiculous ‑ and in budget Estimates, we heard your Treasurer, Eric Abetz, directly contradict that idea. He said borrowings are clearly going to be part of the capital input and repeated it several times. He completely undermined your argument that you didn’t break your cost cap promise.
Now that your Treasurer has contradicted your ridiculous efforts to spin Tasmanians, will you finally admit that the $375 million cost cap is dead? You’ve broken your promise and it’s going to cost Tasmanians the earth.
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank Dr Woodruff for the question, who has been consistent in opposing the stadium and indeed many other economic growth opportunities across Tasmania. I don’t accept the verballing of our Treasurer at all. We’ve been very upfront about our $1.13 billion investment for the Tasmanian people, including $375 million of state capital funding, $240 million of federal government funding and $15 million of AFL funding. We’ve always been clear that the balance of funding required will be made-up of borrowings from the Macquarie Point Development Corporation.
You talk about costs. The opportunity cost of this not going ahead will be devastating for the state of Tasmania. For all the important discussions about budgets and ensuring we’re living within our means, I would much rather frame a budget in a growing economy than one in recession. Can I say this, if we cannot get this done, interstate mainland investors and probably further afield will have a very dim view of Tasmania as a place to invest. We have an opportunity to grasp what many Tasmanians have been fighting for decades. We have $240 million of federal government investment, $15 million from the AFL, and all the goodwill of Tasmanian people, including the 15,000 that came from every corner of Tasmania to be at that rally and express a view. As I said yesterday, the largest rally ever for something in Tasmania because people feel very passionate about it and 10 times more people there, according to police estimates, than the anti rally the week before.
I accept people have different views on this stadium and every view to the negative and every question that’s raised, will make this a better project. With the ‘glass half full’ attitude I’ve always had when it comes to this project, should this proceed across the parliament towards the end of this week, when the debate is expected to conclude, it will be a momentous and unifying occasion for Tasmania. Far more unifying moving forward with the stadium, with the Tasmania Devils, with the economic opportunity and with the jobs opportunity, than not at all.
The SPEAKER – The honourable Premier’s time has expired.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Dr WOODRUFF – A supplementary question, Speaker?
The SPEAKER – I will hear the supplementary question.
Dr WOODRUFF – Honourable Speaker, the Premier didn’t address my question, which was that the Treasurer had contradicted his attempts to call borrowings not part of capital. He also said that I’d verballed the Treasurer. I hadn’t; I read from the Hansard. In the Hansard, the Treasurer said:
If you buy a house you make a deposit on the house, and that is, if you like, just as much a capital investment as a mortgage.
Was your Treasurer wrong, or will you admit to Tasmanians that you’ve broken the cap?
The SPEAKER – The honourable member’s time has expired.
Members interjecting.
Dr Woodruff – Is he wrong, or did you break your promise? It’s going to cost more than $375 million.
The SPEAKER – Order. It’s not the time for a statement, Dr Woodruff.
Mr ROCKLIFF – There is $375 million of capital the Tasmanian government is putting forward ‑ we’re looking forward to that contribution. We are also very grateful, I have to say, with the $240 million provided by the federal government and GST exemption as well.
Dr Woodruff – On the $375 million.
The SPEAKER – Order, Dr Woodruff.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I very much appreciate all those contributions.
