Ditch the stadium, tax the pokies barons: Tasmanian Greens launch budget repair plan

The Greens would work towards balancing the state budget by not building the proposed AFL stadium, increasing salmon and mining royalties, and lifting taxes on pokies barons.

Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff speaks to the media outside the Treasury Building in Hobart on Tuesday July 15, 2025.

The Greens would work towards balancing the state budget by not building the proposed AFL stadium, by increasing salmon and mining royalties and by lifting taxes paid by the pokies barons, party leader Rosalie Woodruff said on Tuesday.

Dr Woodruff unveiled her party’s Budget Repair Plan, with half a billion dollars in savings and increased revenue proposed in the next financial year.

The plan includes $360m in savings from not building the stadium, $130m by divesting from Marinus Link and raising $173m in additional poker machine tax revenue and $434m in aquaculture royalties over the forward estimates.

Render of the proposed Macquarie Point stadium. Picture: Supplied

The party would also introduce a levy on windfall gains from land rezoning and on vacant property.

All up, the Greens estimate they could improve the budget bottom line by nearly $1.5bn over the next four years.

“After 11 years of the Liberal government, Tasmania’s budget is in a serious mess,” Dr Woodruff said.

“Critical services are not being funded, and the Liberals want to build a billion-plus dollar stadium.

“Labor also wants to build the same stadium, and they haven’t ruled out public service cuts, and they have no plan on how to fix the budget that has been costed and provided to Tasmanians.

“The Greens have got a plan, and we show how it is possible to fund critical services and improve the budget bottom line by over $1.4bn and we will do this by making $2.6bn in revenue and savings and taxing big corporations, making them pay their fair share.

The Greens would increase taxes on pokies barons as a means of budget repair, party leader Rosalie Woodruff says.

“There is a real way to turn Tasmania’s budget around, but most importantly, not build the stadium so we can put that money into critical health and housing services.”

The Greens plan would also see several government bodies or positions disappear, including Forestry Tasmania, TasRacing, the Office of the Co-Ordinator General and the Defence Industry Advocate.

Dr Woodruff released a detailed breakdown of the Greens plan, and called on the major parties to do the same for their election pledges.

“We show it’s possible to improve the budget bottom line by $1.4 billion, and significantly reduce state debt, while also funding increased healthcare and housing for Tasmanians,” she said.

“We’re calling on the Liberal and Labor parties to be honest with Tasmanians about the balance of their election commitments.

“How much have they saved, compared to how much they’ve spent?

‘In the balance of power, the Greens will improve the budget bottom line by stopping the stadium and making corporations pay their fair share.”

Originally published as Ditch the stadium, tax the pokies barons: Tasmanian Greens launch budget repair plan