By Sam McClure, Alexander Darling, Jake Niall and Scott Spits
Tasmania’s long-awaited AFL team is suspended in limbo as the state’s premier stares down a no-confidence motion in state parliament that might force a snap election and scuttle the bid to build the Devils a roofed stadium at Macquarie Point.
While the uncertainty brought the club’s longest-serving administrator to public tears on Wednesday, Tasmania Devils chief executive officer Brendon Gale was confident the new team was on track to enter the league in 2028.
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff with then opposition leader Peter Dutton last month.Credit: James Brickwood
“I know there’s a lot of political noise around us at the moment, and naturally it raises questions and uncertainty,” Gale told this masthead. “But our focus hasn’t changed.
“We are building something special here – something powerful, enduring and deeply important to Tasmania.
“The foundations we’re laying are strong, and our momentum is real. So we’ll stay in the moment, keep pushing forward and control what we can control.”
Conjecture about the need for the stadium was already a hot political topic in Tasmania, but doubts intensified when the state’s Labor opposition declared its intent to pass a no-confidence motion in Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff, who leads a minority government that faces mounting levels of debt.
Brendon Gale moved to allay fears about the future of the Tasmanian team in an appearance on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Wednesday night.Credit: Fox footy
The Devils, rival clubs and senior figures inside AFL headquarters expressed their concern and frustration on Wednesday, but the league said its position – that the club’s licence to compete in the AFL is dependent on the stadium being built – remained unchanged as it clung to hope that whoever leads the state will honour the contract.
That optimism was buoyed a statement from opposition leader Dean Winter that reaffirmed his party’s commitment to both the stadium and the team.
“Whatever the outcome of today’s motion in parliament, there should be no doubt on this point, on our party’s commitment to the success of the Devils and a stadium development at Macquarie Point,” he wrote.
According to two sources close to Rockliff, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the conversations, the premier has indicated he will not resign under any circumstances, meaning a state election is on the cards.
An election, in the eyes of both the AFL and the Devils, is the worst possible outcome for the future of the stadium because the make-up of the next parliament would be unknown, and the progress of the stadium would be immediately delayed.
The no-confidence motion in Rockliff was not called because of the stadium furore, but over issues of financial management, privatisation of public assets and bungling of projects connected to the Spirit of Tasmania ferry.
But the motion has the support of the Greens, who are vocal opponents of the stadium, which has already suffered from cost blowouts and has yet to be approved by the state’s parliament.
Gale said he was confident the Devils had the political support to push ahead.
“I don’t want to engage in party politics, but in the lower house there’s broad-based political support,” Gale told Fox Footy on Wednesday night.
“The upper house does rely on support on a number of independents. The recent events might create some uncertainty but, no, I think parliament is very supportive.”
The AFL stood firm in its statement to this masthead.
“More than 210,000 members have signed up and pledged their support, signifying great momentum and backing for the club. The AFL’s continued position is that a clear requirement of the 19th license is that the team is conditional on a new 23,000-seat roofed stadium at Macquarie Point,” a league spokesperson said.
Supplied images project what the proposed AFL stadium at Macquarie Point in Hobart, Tasmania, will look like.
Kath McCann, general manager of marketing, corporate affairs and social impact for the Devils, broke down when fielding questions at a media event on Wednesday morning.
“This club is powered by future generations,” she said.
“We’re going to play on. We want to see this team become a reality because our young people deserve it.”
Last week’s Tasmanian state budget predicted debt would more than double to $10.8 billion in four years, with deficits each year.
The Liberals, who have been in power since 2014, are governing with a minority of just 14 of 35 seats in the lower house.
Independents Craig Garland and Kristie Johnston, and Jacqui Lambie Network MP Andrew Jenner, have indicated they will support the motion, and with the five Greens also on board, it has the numbers to pass.
Convention dictates Rockliff must resign if the motion against him passes.
The estimated cost for a new stadium, a condition of the Tasmania Devils entering the AFL, recently increased from $755 million to $945 million. The government has previously pledged to cap its contribution to the stadium at $375 million.
Asked how quickly the Devils need the situation resolved, Gale said the stadium plan was “probably ahead of course”.
“The legislation which enables the whole development is in parliament,” he said.
“It’s been debated and scrutinised. It will need to clear the lower house and enter the upper house in late July. From that perspective, [the new stadium plan] it’s probably ahead of course.
“It may not be ready by round one, 2028, but there’s a process to accommodate that as well.”
During the debate on Wednesday, Rockliff said Winter had demonstrated himself to be a “weak leader”.
Jack Riewoldt during the announcement to establish a 19th AFL team in 2023.Credit: Getty Images
“You are prepared to jeopardise Tasmania’s future and the stability of this parliament … projects such as our own AFL and AFLW team and stadium infrastructure right across the state, unlocking that opportunity,” said Rockliff.
Rockliff claimed federal Labor was pulling the strings behind the scenes of Winter’s challenge. The federal government has committed $240 million to the stadium.Devils ambassador Jack Riewoldt said club officials remain focused.
“It would be a big opportunity lost,” Riewoldt said. “These things don’t come around very often, and who’s to say it might come around ever again if this is not the time for it.
“It would be extremely disappointing, and hopefully, we’re not having that conversation.”
Cricket Australia has also raised concerns about the proposed hatched roof design, which it says will prevent daylight cricket being played at the venue because of shadows cast on the field.
With AAP
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