Anthony Albanese clashes with heckler during major Hobart stadium announcement
A major decision to spend millions on building a stadium in Hobart has been heavily criticised.
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Anthony Albanese has clashed with hecklers who tried to hijack his press conference about his plan to funnel millions into a new stadium in Hobart.
The Prime Minister was at Macquarie Point in the Tasmanian capital to announce the $240m investment into the “one-in-a-generation” urban renewal project, which will pave the way for Tasmania to enter the AFL.
Mr Albanese said the millions would go towards redeveloping the Hobart waterfront location and include a private-public partnership to develop housing along the precinct – including affordable homes for “critical health workers and veterans”.
The Prime Minister walks straight into a wall of protesters following his press conference at Macquarie Point. pic.twitter.com/9ePkIWuxPW
— Brent Costelloe (@brentcostelloe) April 28, 2023
But it wasn’t long before a small group of protesters, armed with umpire’s whistlers and banners and signs, disrupted proceedings.
“We want affordable housing, not a stadium. Affordable housing!” a man shouted from the crowd.
“Priorities Albo, please,” another woman yelled.
“Any more questions?” Mr Albanese remarked, later adding their appearance at the press conference was as an example of our “great democracy”.
He stressed the government would set aside room in the precinct’s plan to ensure “someone in social and affordable housing have access to this unbelievable view” at Macquarie Point.
As the press conference continued, the hecklers were emboldened. During a question whether the Prime Minister’s would DJ at shock jock Kyle Sandilands’ wedding on Saturday, things came to a head.
“The big picture is housing,” the woman yelled.
An unimpressed Mr Albanese glared at the protester and responded: “I think you’ve had your say”.
“No, I haven't, you have had your say at the back of the sewerage works when no-one knows what is going on,” she continued.
The Prime Minister ignored her comments, turning his focus back to the reporter to reveal he wouldn’t be spinning the decks, and then promptly ended the press conference.
The clash comes as a report by Anglicare on Friday revealed rents in Tasmania had risen 10 times faster than income support payments.
Federal Tasmanian senator Tammy Tyrrel slammed the federal government and accused it of bending to the will of the AFL and the state Liberals.
“The money going to this project could do a hell of a lot for the most vulnerable people in our community. The ones sleeping in tents. The ones who can’t afford to pay for their medication,” she said.
The federal Tasmanian Liberals also questioned the investment. Senator Jonno Duniam slammed Labor for being “out of touch” with what the state actually needed.
“This news will be of no comfort to the many thousands of Tasmanians who are fighting hard to make ends meet,” he said.
While Tasmanians have been broadly supportive of the state joining the AFL, the condition of requiring a new stadium be built has proved to be controversial.
Leaked polling, obtained by The Australian last year, suggested that 67 per cent of Tasmanians opposed plans to build the stadium at Macquarie Point.
The Tasmanian Labor Party has made opposing the stadium a centrepiece of its policy platform and leader Rebecca White was notably absent from the Prime Minister’s public engagements during his visit to the state.
Asked about her absence, while he stood alongside Premier Jeremy Rockliff and a number of other federal and state ministers, he shrugged it off.
“Bec White is a great friend of mine and I spoke to Bec this morning. We’ll continue to engage,” he said.
AFL chief Gillon McLachlan was quick to praise the commitment which was the last hurdle Tasmania had to clear before being granted the opportunity to apply for a licence.
“The stadium at Mac Point is the final workstream, with the question on a 19th licence to be answered in the coming days,” he said.
Originally published as Anthony Albanese clashes with heckler during major Hobart stadium announcement
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