Mr BAYLEY question to TREASURER, Mr BARNETT
The acknowledged cost of your unaffordable and unpopular Macquarie Point Stadium is already nearly $1 billion. Tasmanian taxpayers are on the hook for every single dollar of the inevitable cost overruns, and the unfunded elements within your development documents are critical enabling parts of the project. While you bask in your Mac Point vision, government services, including health and education, are suffering cuts via efficiency dividends and vacancy controls. Now, you are planning a fire sale, starting with the Treasury building, a jewel in the centre of the city owned by the people of Tasmania.
How can you sell the Treasury building without any conversation with the people who own it? How much will Tasmanians have to sacrifice to pay for the stadium they neither want nor need? How much will it cost each year to rent premises to accommodate the evicted Treasury staff?
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER – Thank you, members on my right. Perhaps you can stop helping now.
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I can only repeat what the Premier said earlier and acknowledge that the Greens have a position, we have a position, and it is different. In fact, with respect to our plans for the Macquarie Point multi-purpose precinct, it is very different. The Greens have been consistent all along in opposition to it. That underpins the motivation for your question, which I think was perhaps more than one question –
The SPEAKER – How can you sell it without talking to the Tasmanian people? How much will that all cost us? How much will the rent be for Treasury offices?
Mr BARNETT – Thank you, Speaker. There were many questions in that very lengthy contribution, and with respect to this, as the government has said many times, we believe this will be a game changer for Tasmania. We are excited about this. We are builders; we are not blockers. We are getting on with the job and focusing on things that matter for the Tasmanian people.
The Premier has made it very clear in terms of the funding support of the $240 million from the Australian government. The first letter I signed to the Federal Treasurer was re-asking for the GST exemption for that commitment. The federal government has a role to play here in terms of providing that support, and I would like to know what state Labor has done to back in that call and that request. I have not heard a thing in the few weeks I have been in the role. Nothing from state Labor.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER – Order, you can all settle down on both sides because I am sure the Treasurer is coming to the answer soon.
Mr BARNETT – We have the $15 million from the AFL; we have the $375 million capital contribution from the Tasmanian government. We have a plan which will ensure that this is built with thousands and thousands of tradies and workers. I know the minister for building, construction and Skills and Training is so excited. He wants to get out there – bang, bang, bang – and do that work himself. But you will have to share, minister. You will have to share with others. We are getting on with the job, and as we progress, I am more than happy to provide further information.
The SPEAKER – Did you take that on notice when you said ‘as we progress, I will provide further information? Were you taking on notice the actual question or am I allowing the supplementary? If you have not taken it on notice, I will allow the supplementary.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Mr BAYLEY – A supplementary question, Speaker.
The SPEAKER – I will hear the supplementary question.
Mr BAYLEY – The question was about consultation with the Tasmanian people about the Treasury building, and also, explicitly, how much will it cost each year to rent premises to accommodate the evicted Treasury staff? Have you done that modelling and how much would it cost?
The SPEAKER – How much easier it would be if we just answered the questions the first time. I will allow the supplementary.
Mr BARNETT – There were many questions, and I am more than happy to answer that question. We are so pleased and proud of the fact that we are going to provide the opportunity for exploring investment opportunities with respect to the Treasury building. Let us be very clear, I have already met with the Lord Mayor of Hobart. I have already received support from, let us have a look, Tasmanian Tourism Industry Council, Master Builders, the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Tasmanian Hospitality Association.
Four major stakeholders are standing with the government in support of our plans to create jobs, grow the economy and get things moving in this state. That is what we are on about and that is what we are doing.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER – Treasurer, you have 15 seconds to answer the question, or I will sit you down.
Mr BARNETT – There are an estimated 230 Treasury officials there, and that work is ongoing in terms of exactly where they will go. This will all happen in a consultative process with those involved. We are absolutely delighted to grow the economy and create more jobs.
The SPEAKER – The Treasurer’s time for addressing the question has completely ended and he will resume his seat.
