Mr BAYLEY (Clark) – Honourable Speaker, I commend this motion to the House. You can walk and chew gum at the same time. We can engage in collaborative politics, Mr O’Byrne. We have demonstrated we can do that. That does not mean we will resile from our obligation to hold the government to account, to hold members and the Premier to account, and hold members to the Ministerial and Members’ Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct is very clear about the accuracy of statements.
A Member must only make statements in Parliament and in public that are, to the best of their knowledge, accurate and honest.
A Member must not mislead Parliament or the public in statements that they make.
Whether any misleading was intentional or unintentional, a Member is obliged to correct the Parliamentary record …
Notwithstanding the fact that the Tasmanian Planning Commission’s report has shown that the Macquarie Point site is toxic and the stadium presents massive issues with regard to human health and environmental health with that toxic waste, it is clear that this stadium is actually built on a foundation of deception and deceit.
It started at the very beginning when the Premier made commitments that a stadium would not be part of Tasmania’s bid. Back in August 2022 – and it is still on the AFL’s – website, that was the media release from the Premier, that our bid does not require a stadium. It emerged through the Public Accounts Committee and through questions that that is entirely false. While the Premier was making that statement, the secretary of the department was busy talking to the AFL. It was clear that the AFL had always had the requirement that we would have a new stadium. We at the Tasmanian government had completely rolled over to it nominating Macquarie Point site, dictating to Tasmania where it should be, what it should look like.
That was the case in the tripartite agreement as well, where the Premier look directly in the eyes of former leader Cassy O’Connor and Dr Woodruff and said, ‘Our bid is not contingent on a stadium, this will not include a stadium’. That is why we Greens signed up to support a two Tassie teams, an AFL and an AFLW team.
There has been deception of the Aboriginal community. The Truth and Reconciliation Park was fundamentally and completely and utterly abandoned.
Now, of course, the POSS assessment. That has been despicable. One of the lowest acts of this government is to attack the credibility and the integrity of the panel and the Planning Commission. Saying that it has a ‘predetermined view’, saying that its report is ‘tainted’, is a fundamental attack on the integrity of that body.
The leader of government business – yes, we did oppose the POSS process, Leader, we did vote against that POSS process and we would do it again. It is not because we do not trust the Planning Commission, it is because the POSS process abandons the basic planning rules. The POSS process abandons third party rights of appeals. It has nothing to do with the integrity of the Planning Commission.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER – Minister Ellis, you may seek the call next if you wish to make a contribution.
Mr BAYLEY – It is you on that side of the House that are attacking the integrity of your own planning body and your own appointments. It is an absolute low point. Not even Paul Lennon went that low when it came to Gunns Pulp Mill.
The focus of this motion is obviously the $375 million and the fact that it has been repeated in here and outside, ‘not one red cent more.’ It is critical because it was made on the very first day of the election.
It is clear that this stadium is a stinker. It was in March 2024 and it is still a stinker in May 2025. That much is clear. This commitment was made repeatedly from day one in the election, that not one red cent would be over and above $375 million. That has been fundamentally abandoned yesterday. That is the reason we are bringing this motion forward today.
It is a blank cheque. The government has written a blank cheque for the AFL and the stadium, and Labor Party has co-signed that blank cheque. Its unconditional support is absolutely not holding the government to account. You say one thing in this place and talk about holding the government to account and then you write them a blank cheque and they get away with anything. Why on earth would the AFL want to renegotiate the deal when you have got both sides of the major parties, both sides of this House backing in the very stadium that they want? They have got nothing in it.
It is a budget week next week. We are going to see cuts, we are going to see issues when it comes to child protection and when it comes to health, and of course, Ashley Youth Detention Centre has been delayed again.
Time expired.
