Crossbenchers condemn Labor backdown on stadium

A team of crossbenchers unite in ‘disgust’ of Labor’s unconditional support of the proposed Macquarie Point stadium.

Crossbench MPs speak to the media on Parliament Lawns in Hobart on Thursday, April 3, 2025.

Ten of parliament’s crossbench MPs have condemned Labor for its decision to unconditionally back the proposed Macquarie Point stadium — prompting a furious response from the opposition leader.

Labor announced on Wednesday it would support the government on the stadium in order to

secure an AFL team for Tasmania.

Declaring themselves “the true opposition” ten of the 11 lower house crossbench MPs fronted the media on Thursday.

“We’re standing here today united as the crossbench on the Tasmanian parliament in disgust at Labor under Dean Winter, abandoning its role to scrutinise the government, the role of the opposition,” Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said.

Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff.

“They’ve walked away from the critical need to scrutinise the government and to hold true to giving the community the voice that they deserve under the process, the process that’s in train around the stadium.

“They have evacuated that space and the opposition is looking at the true opposition here in parliament.”

The government has signalled it is preparing to draft special legislation to progress the stadium project.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Thursday condemned the independent expert report produced by the Tasmanian Planning Commission on the project, thanked Labor and said no matter what it did to his approval ratings, he would not change course.

“If I went down to 10 per cent, I would still be backing the stadium,” he said.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The Greens moved a censure motion against Mr Winter in Parliament on Thursday.

Labor, the Liberals and all but of the one independent MPs combined to vote it down.

Mr Winter responded angrily, saying his party “could never do a deal with the Greens” — something it has steadfastly ruled out doing for years.

“This is not a serious leader of the Greens,” he said.

“Rosalie Woodruff’s performance today was an act that took the focus away from a government that has been letting so many Tasmanians down.”

At a subsequent press conference Mr Winter reaffirmed Labor’s policy that no matter how much the stadium cost estimates rose, or how badly the government looked like bungling he construction, or by what mechanism it was eventually approved — Labor would support its approval.

“The only way this stadium gets built and we get an AFL team is if people in positions like mine vote for it,” Mr Winter said.

“We’ve got two choices: we vote for a stadium and we get an AFL team or we don’t. And the whole vision, the whole dream, is lost.

“If we lose this opportunity right now, we will never get another AFL team in Tasmania.

“Never, ever, ever, we will be a laughing stock right across the country.”

Kristie Johnston independent member for Clark. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Independent MP Kristie Johnston said Labor had given up.

“What we saw yesterday was the Labor Party effectively abandoning the opposition benches and are moving across to the government side,” she said.

“We now have in Tasmania, effectively a Liberal-Labor coalition government.”

Lambie Network MP Andrew Jenner said Labor was letting voters down.

“It’s so disappointing that Labor have capitulated. People expected the opposition to do their job.

“That’s what they’re there for and here we are doing that job for them.

“Seventy per cent of Tasmanians don’t want the stadium or think it’s too expensive or think it’s in the wrong place, and yet they’ve been totally ignored.”

Braddon independent Craig Garland said Tasmania could not afford the stadium.

“Our financial situation is dire,” he said.

“We’ve been dictated to by a boy’s club in the AFL and they’re just blindly going along in the parliament here with what they’re being told.”

Originally published as Crossbenchers condemn Labor backdown on stadium