Gutwein clips Kennett
FORMER Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein has welcomed the comments from the incoming Hawthorn president while giving Jeff Kennett a clip along the way.
Peter Nankivell will take the reins at Hawthorn later this year, replacing Mr Kennett, and has spoken positively about Tasmania’s entry into the AFL as the 19th club – a much different approach than his predecessor.
The Hawks’ Launceston contract for four games is worth more than $5m a year and finishes at the end of this season.
Mr Nankivell does not take over from Mr Kennett until after the August vote, but said the Hawks’ decision on a Tasmanian team would be made by the board, not the current president.
“If there was to be a 19th licence issued or a Tasmanian team, expect the Hawks to be supportive of whatever that looks like,” Mr Nankivell said on Thursday.
“We owe that to the people of Tasmania.”
This sentiment has been well received by Mr Gutwein, who strongly pushed Tasmania’s entry during his time
as premier. “I have said in the past that the strength of our (Tasmania’s) relationship with Hawthorn would be judged not by how we’ve conducted ourselves in the past but rather by the respect and dignity demonstrated as our relationship ends and Tasmania’s aspirations for a licence become a reality,” Mr Gutwein told the Mercury.
“It’s pleasing that unlike the current Hawthorn leadership, it appears that Peter Nankivell understands that the game, Hawthorn and Tasmania could all be winners from a 19th licence.”
Mr Gutwein first raised the idea of a new roofed Hobart stadium at Regatta Point, but the project – now contingent on Tasmania securing a licence
– does not have the backing of Clark independent MP Andrew Wilkie.
“I will not be chasing $1 of taxpayers’ money for a footy
stadium when the stadium and the team should be privately funded,” Mr Wilkie said.
“The AFL is rich. It has rivers
of gold running through it.
“It has more than enough money to subsidise teams and stadiums.”