Stadium cash row flares

THE AFL has told the Tasmanian government it must fund the vast majority of a $500mplus Macquarie Point stadium or its dream of an AFL team is doomed.

But Premier Jeremy Rockliff has hit back, stating Tasmania won’t be bullied into a deal that doesn’t deliver for the state.

As the bid for the AFL’s 19th licence moves into its final weeks the league’s ultimatum on a stadium deal is the clear deal breaker which could derail the entire proposal.

Mr Rockliff hit out at the AFL in a withering open letter on Saturday, saying the league should accept its bid as he made clear the government would only pay for half of a new stadium.

But the league has made it clear to Mr Rockliff it is not in the business of subsidising stadium infrastructure, with the Perth Stadium built for $1.8bn funded almost entirely by the WA government.

The league believes it can work through issues over a list build, player retention, an annual distribution of over $10m to the team and an elite training facility.

But the league’s non-negotiable is a cutting-edge covered-roof stadium at Macquarie Point on the edge of the Hobart CBD or it cannot commit to a 19th licence.

The league’s Travis Auld has been brought in to help the government with that process but the lion’s share of the funding will have to come from the state. Mr Rockliff said Tasmania’s

fixed offer of $10m a season for 10 years plus $50m towards the club set-up cost and a high performance centre was fair, strong and in line with the AFL’s Carter report.

He also said while the government fully supported an arts, entertainment and sporting precinct on the Hobart waterfront due to the substantial social and economic benefits that would bring, it would only pay its fair share.

“The government has been very clear from day one that we will not fully fund this development, with funding to be multistreamed,” Mr Rockliff said.

“Our contribution would be capped at 50 per cent with additional funding sought from different levels of government, private equity partners and the AFL. The AFL has not communicated a funding model as that is a decision to be made by the Tasmanian government.

“This government won’t be strongarmed into any deal that doesn’t deliver for Tasmania.”

Hopes the Labor federal government might commit to significant funding to help pay for the stadium are clouded by massive cost-of-living pressures, the Tasmanian political landscape and the upcoming 2032 Olympics.

The Albanese government is much more likely to fund infrastructure in Brisbane for the upcoming Olympics – and win crucial Queensland votes – than in Tasmania where it already holds two of the five federal seats.

Tri-partisan support for the stadium between the Liberal government, Labor and Greens has waned.