Ms O’CONNOR – Premier, back to the stadium.
Mr ROCKLIFF – That’s your favourite subject.
Ms O’CONNOR – No. It’s not my favourite subject. It’s certainly a subject though that a lot of Tasmanians are talking about.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Of course they are.
Ms O’CONNOR – Particularly since the papers were lodged with the planning commission where Tasmanians have seen that there’s already a cost overrun.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Four thousand pages.
Ms O’CONNOR – There’s already a cost overrun. Well the financial statement document is not 4,000 pages. It tells an interesting story. Premier, one of the things that the consultants say is that it’s unlikely or its difficult to attract private sector investment for this sort of potentially loss-making infrastructure. Given that your government already signed us up to a dud deal with the AFL –
Mr ROCKLIFF – Great deal.
Ms O’CONNOR – A dud deal with the feds –
Mr ROCKLIFF – Great deal.
Ms O’CONNOR – where we haven’t locked in a GST exemption.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Fantastic deal, it is.
Ms O’CONNOR – What faith should Tasmanians have that you will sign anything other than dud deals over private investment in the stadium?
Mr ROCKLIFF – Look the deal that we’ve signed with the AFL is a very good deal.
Ms O’CONNOR – So you say.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I do say that and that’ll be proven in time. I know there was a lot of conjecture around this in May last year, but it is a good deal that will be enduring for Tasmanians and I know –
Ms O’CONNOR – Enduring losses.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I know that it’s difficult in terms of the decisions that we make. We don’t make these decisions, you know, that are not in the best interests of Tasmanians from our point of view. I can guarantee that there will be people attending the entertainment, the AFL matches. I am sure you will enter the gates of the new stadium, Ms O’Connor, at some point in time when it’s completed to watch a football game.
Ms O’CONNOR – I’d rather watch us play at York Park where Tasmanians are already funding the upgrade of York Park to the tune of $130 million.
Mr ROCKLIFF – $65 million from the Tasmanian government.
Ms O’CONNOR – The total redevelopment though.
Mr ROCKLIFF – And 65 for the federal government. So, 130 in total.
Ms O’CONNOR – Thank you. Can I just ask – it’s really important that there’s clarity on this and maybe you don’t have clarity in your own mind – who will cover the cost overruns on the stadium build?
Mr ROCKLIFF – Well again we’re investing $375 million.
Ms O’CONNOR – That’s not the question.
Mr ROCKLIFF – And the private sector of course will contribute –
Ms O’CONNOR – Carry the losses.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Well the private sector will no doubt invest in this project and manage the project within an inch of its life as –
Ms O’CONNOR – Who will carry the cost overruns, premier? Do you know?
Mr ROCKLIFF – The $375 million is what the Tasmanian government are putting into the stadium, Ms O’Connor, so –
CHAIR – Thank you.
Ms O’CONNOR – Just one last one.
CHAIR – No, that’s it. That’s it.
Ms O’CONNOR – Well, I’ll come back to it.
CHAIR – You will come back at a later time. Moving now to 1.1 Strategic Policy and Advice.
