Ms BADGER (Lyons) – Honourable Speaker, I rise in support of the amendment to this motion because it is absolutely critical that the stadium is part of that because it is emblematic of all the major projects in this state. That is notwithstanding that it is completely non-essential.
Of everything that Tasmania needs, and for Tasmanians in 50 years’ time to look back on what we need, when we are looking at our investment priorities and where they could go. The current literacy levels in this state. The lack of digital connectivity in this state. The lack of health services when we are currently seeing the increases in family and domestic violence, particularly in intimate situations, within Tasmanian homes.
Of everything that we could be investing in, this is not a priority. That is why it is important. Because if we cannot handle something that is so non-essential properly, if that is the priority, how does every other major project actually stack up?
We have heard the debacle around the Spirits. That is at least something that is slightly more essential to people in this state in terms of coming and going, in terms of the economic benefit that it would bring back, than the stadium.
What about everything else that we have to actually be investing in? Because when we are not investing in the basic services, when they are not the investment priority, we are going to fall further and further behind in this state. It is going to take us longer and longer to economically catch up, to reinvest in the services that we actually need to ensure that all young Tasmanians have the education to go out into the world and thrive to ensure that there is housing available for all Tasmanians. To ensure the Tasmanians who choose to go overseas can come back here or interstate, can come back and bring their families back here and still have a competitive, well-paid job in whatever industry they might have gone out and become experts in.
The stadium process has not only been emblematic of a wrong investment priority, it is also emblematic of the further contempt of proper process and the erosion of democracy that this government under Jeremy Rockliff has been putting forward.
The POSS process, devised to put through special projects, is not even working, so now we have to push through special legislation that is not even good legislation. We are not putting in proper public consultation. We are just going to throw the bill on the table after threatening the Legislative Council, after threatening the other place, we are just going throw the bill on the table and not take into proper account public consultation. No Tasmanian actually believes that this government’s going take on board their feedback and come into this place and amend that full bill with all of their concerns.
Like my fellow member for the Greens in Bass, I have been absolutely astonished by the number of Tasmanians who have reached out overnight and who have immediately gone and pointed to this stadium as something that is a complete wrong priority and that is an enormous issue for them. The polling tells us the same thing; Tasmanians do not want it. This is not a priority. It is emblematic of all the issues we are currently facing, which is why it is integral to this motion.
Time expired.
