Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Launceston’s UTAS stadium upgrades ahead of looming Hobart AFL stadium announcement

The federal government will spend $65m on upgrades to UTAS stadium in Launceston to support our AFL team bid. He’s expected in Hobart to announce cash towards a new stadium at Macquarie Point on Saturday. LATEST

PM Anthony Albanese and Tasmania premier Jeremy Rockliff at Friday's announcement of federal funding to upgrade Launceston's UTAS Stadium. Picture: Jon Tuxworth

PRIME Minister Anthony Albanese stressed a looming Tasmania AFL license needs to be “a team for the whole of Tasmania” after announcing the federal government will allocate $65m in funding to upgrade UTAS Stadium in Launceston on Friday.

Mr Albanese joked the AFL could be dubbed the ‘northern island league’ without a Tasmanian presence, but he also wants to ensure the north of the state is adequately represented.

The Prime Minister is expected to travel to Hobart on Saturday to announce the last $240m needed to green light a stadium at Macquarie Point.

The $65 million to help upgrade UTAS Stadium matches the contribution from the state government, and stage one is expected to be completed in 2025.

Input from key stakeholders will now be taken to plan stage two, with the plan to transform it into a ‘world class’ venue capable of attracting other big events as well as AFL.

“The Australian Football League could really be named the northern island league, because the south island has been left out,” Mr Albanese said.

“I’ve been a supporter for some time when asked about Tasmania getting its own AFL team.”

Asked if the announcement was merely to placate the state’s north, Albanese said Launceston deserves to have a legitimate stake in the Tasmanian franchise.

“This is a project that stands on its own merits. It’s important everyone in Tasmania has access to world class facilities,” he said.

“The plan that I’ve discussed with the Tasmanian premier and the AFL is about games being played with a Tasmanian team – not just in Hobart but also here in Launceston.

PM Anthony Albanese and Tasmania premier Jeremy Rockliff at Friday's announcement of federal funding to upgrade Launceston's UTAS Stadium. Picture: Jon Tuxworth

“I was here as the infrastructure minister more than a decade ago to announce federal funding for the stadium. Since then it’s quite clear we needed an upgrade to attract world class events.

“UTAS Stadium will have a new entertainment precinct, dining options, player facilities and a enhanced eastern stands. This is about creating jobs and creating tourism.

“When you have a facility like this you want to maximise its usage. You want to hold world class events here as well, and that’s part of the attraction.”

Mr Albanese was also asked whether the $65m would be better spent to help ease the state’s housing and health system crisis. He believes the upgrades will help generate revenue to assist community issues.

“One of the things a sporting precinct does is it brings economic activity. That generates revenue, that generates taxpayer dollars, that can be put into other services,” he said.

“It’s not a after of either or, is does this stack up economically, socially and environmentally. My answer to that is yes, that’s why the federal government is backing this proposal.”

In January this year, Hawthorn extended its partnership with the state government to play four AFL games per season at UTAS Stadium until the end of 2025.

The deal was subject to Tasmania successfully securing AFL and AFLW licenses, which now looks imminent.

The first stage of an intended three stage plan includes an entertainment precinct which can cater to other sports, increasing the eastern stand’s capacity by 1000 seats, increasing the seating capacity to 14,000 and overall capacity to just over 20,000.

However, funding for the stadium was criticised heavily by Tasmania Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson on Friday.

“Australia is in the biggest housing and homelessness crisis we’ve seen in generations and a budget is a time for the government, especially a new government, to show what its priorities are to the people,” he said.

“What we’ve heard from our Prime Minister is he wants to spend $300 million of public money on stadiums in Tasmania, in the middle of a rental and housing crisis.

“I think most Tasmanians would rightly ask, why is the Prime Minister’s priority spending money on football stadiums?

“When he visits UTAS Stadium today, go and talk to some of the homeless people there living in caravans or tents. Ask them what their priorities are.

“Go and knock on some doors and ask Tasmanians what they want him to prioritise in this budget, and I’ll guarantee you they’ll say homes and health. So where are the funds for that?”

Originally published as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Launceston’s UTAS stadium upgrades ahead of looming Hobart AFL stadium announcement