Minister Eric Abetz leaves door open to renegotiating Macquarie Point stadium deal with AFL

A senior Cabinet minister has suggested the state government could renegotiate its deal with the AFL to build a stadium at Macquarie Point.

Renders showing the relocated Goods Shed at Macquarie Point, to make way for a multipurpose stadium. Picture: Cox Architecture

Business, Industry and Resources Minister Eric Abetz appears to have left the door open to renegotiating the state government’s deal with the AFL to build a stadium at Macquarie Point.

During a stadium debate held by the ABC on Wednesday evening, Mr Abetz suggested that the deal with the league was not necessarily set in stone.

“Is there the possibility of renegotiating? Well, you never say never,” he said. “But the deal is there for all to see.”

Minister Eric Abetz. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

It marks a significant departure from government MPs’ previous public comments on the stadium agreement, which states that the $775m project needs to be completed by 2029 in order to avoid financial penalties.

The Tasmania Devils are set to enter the competition in the 2028 season, playing at Bellerive Oval and York Park in the club’s first year.

The Tasmanian Greens have written to AFL boss Andrew Dillon, demanding that the league rethink its position on the stadium, which is required to be roofed under the current deal.

Hobart Greens MLC Cassy O’Connor said Mr Abetz had “let the cat out of the bag” and confirmed it was “possible any contract can be renegotiated”.

“There’s one thing we know about Eric Abetz – he very rarely ever misspeaks, whatever you think of what he says,” Ms O’Connor said.

Greens member for Hobart Cassy O'Connor.

“And that was, I think, a frank admission, with many people watching and thousands of people listening [to the ABC debate], that the contract with the AFL can be renegotiated, that we don’t have to be saddled with a $2bn new stadium at Macquarie Point, that we can negotiate to keep the AFL and AFLW teams we’ve earned.”

Ms O’Connor said a potential new deal should remove the requirement for a new stadium and allow the Devils to call York Park in Launceston home, allowing the project funding to be diverted to “health, housing, education, and climate preparedness”.

Concept design of the proposed Macquarie Point stadium. Picture: Supplied

Meanwhile, in a submission to the Tasmanian Planning Commission, Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania have indicated that cricket matches could not be played at the proposed stadium due to the roof casting a “grid-like pattern of shadows that moves across the field of play”, which they said presented “an unacceptable playing, operational, and broadcast environment” for the sport.

Infrastructure Minister Kerry Vincent said the government had “a very big team working on … issues and solutions” relating to the stadium and urged the public not to read too much into Mr Abetz’s comments.

Minister Kerry Vincent. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“I would say that the only line I know is very solidly: no stadium, no team. And we can pull different parts of conversations apart, but at the end of the day, that is what has been negotiated, and that’s what we are sticking with,” he said.

Independent Clark MP Kristie Johnston said the government “don’t know what they’re doing” when it came to the stadium project.

“I call on Minister Eric Abetz to be honest with the Tasmanian community about his conversations with the AFL and whether the AFL are genuinely interested in renegotiating,” she said.

The government is next month set to release for consultation enabling legislation that would fast-track the stadium and bypass normal planning processes.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff has said he hopes construction can begin by the end of this year if the legislation passes both houses of parliament.

The AFL has been contacted for comment.

Originally published as Minister Eric Abetz leaves door open to renegotiating Macquarie Point stadium deal with AFL