Mr BAYLEY (Clark) – Honourable Speaker, I rise tonight to highlight the recent delegation of elected representatives who travelled to Melbourne to meet with the AFL to put to them the views of our constituents and challenge them to justify their position on the stadium at Macquarie Point, in the face of the expert planning recommendation that it should not be built given the escalating budget crisis, and against overwhelming community opposition that denies the project a social licence.
In June, elected representatives first wrote to the AFL requesting a meeting. That correspondence was both ignored and gazumped by the prorogation of parliament, so, in the wake of the recent election we wrote again. Eighteen elected representatives, two local mayors, most of the crossbench, members of the Legislative Council, Greens, independents and JLN senators, and the local member for the federal House of Representatives. Significantly, the local mayor and every non-major party state representative of the central Hobart area, the very location of the stadium, and every non‑major party federal representative signed on to that letter.
The first response was a simple acknowledgement:
We appreciate your concern and want you to know that whilst we may not respond to your specific email directly, it has been forwarded on to the office of the CEO.
It felt like the AFL was bluffing, so I sent it on to other AFL contacts with the request it be followed up. Eventually, there was a reply from the new COO, Tom Harley, a Geelong premiership captain and well-regarded Sydney Swan CEO, recently elevated to the AFL executive. While initially signalling that it would be inappropriate to meet ahead of the parliamentary vote, to his credit Mr Harley agreed to a meeting, but not before a couple of more messages and notification that we were coming anyway, come what may. We called their bluff.
Last Wednesday, member for Clark, Ms Johnston, member for Franklin, Mr George, member for Hobart, Ms O’Connor and I travelled to Melbourne at our own expense for a 12.00 p.m. meeting at AFL House. Let me be clear here, as I was in the lead up to the delegations visit, this was not about changing the AFL’s mind there and then in the meeting and have them come out and pull up their anchor – no stadium, no team. Why would they, with the Labor Party writing a blank cheque for the Rockliff government no matter the impacts on the heritage of Hobart, including the Cenotaph; no matter the stakeholder and community opposition; and no matter the cost and debt crisis? Why would they?
In the absence of the Rockliff government, accurately representing the interests of Tasmanians and pushing the AFL to renegotiate; with the Labor Party not just missing in action, but complicit in action. It was up to the 18 representatives to put the perspective of the majority of Tasmanians, who don’t support the stadium. Poll after poll has demonstrated majority opposition to the stadium. It varies depending on where you poll, but the majority oppose the stadium.
We opened the meeting with strong support for the Devils, support for the teams, the High Performance Centre and the $130 million upgrade for York Park, one of the best playing surfaces in the country and an arena for AFL games for almost 25 years. But of course, the conversation soon settled and centred on Mac Point.
We welcomed the chance to put to the AFL that where they thought they picked a winner two and a half years ago, when the licence agreement was signed, things have changed significantly. Where once a roof stadium at Mac Point, of 23 000 seats looked like a positive part of a successful Devils club, it was now a net negative. With a lack of social licence, explicit planning refusal and immense cost in a profound budget crisis, the stadium is now a corrosive agent, eroding public goodwill, for the teams and for the brand of the AFL.
Where the Devils once presented an opportunity to unite Tasmanians around our rightful place in the national competition, hitching them to a derided and discredited white elephant – that has done nothing but deceive and divide – has a sad, predictable end.
The meeting was professional, and to the credit of Mr Harley, he heard us out, and we gave them something to think about. We walked out knowing the AFL had nothing. Nothing of substance to justify their position, given the community concerns, the planning rejection, the budget crisis. Nothing to say but ‘a deal’s a deal’. Everybody knows agreements can be renegotiated. Tasmania has already breached this one. If the Legislative Council do the right thing and refuse the stadium, with the momentum behind the club, with the existing stadiums we have and with some champions in the AFL – we walked out believing that it can be done ‑ we can have the teams we deserve, without trashing the waterfront, breaking the budget and shafting the very people the Devils need to succeed: key stakeholders and the actual community they need to cheer them on.
