Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff hits back at Labor Party concerns over Mac Pt stadium cost blowouts

Premier Jeremy Rockliff has poured cold water on Labor Party concerns of a “horrendous” cost blowout on the Macquarie Point stadium because an engineer’s report showed it would need to be built on 20m concrete pylons.

Artist’s impression of the stadium at Macquarie Point, Labor MP Shane Broad and Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Pictures: The Mercury/NewsCorp

Premier Jeremy Rockliff has poured cold water on Labor Party concerns of a “horrendous” cost blowout on the Macquarie Point stadium because an engineer’s report showed it would need to be built on 20m concrete pylons.

The Douglas Partners report prepared in 2015 for the Macquarie Point Development Corporation said about the site: “This anticipated soil behaviour restricts its use to only supporting lightweight structures that are non-settlement sensitive.”

Labor treasury spokesperson Dr Shane Broad said the report showed there were “enormous engineering challenges” with the site which would “blow the $715m cost out of the water”.

“It’s clear from this Douglas Partners’ report that the stadium in Hobart is on shaky ground, literally,” he said.

A concept image of Hobart's proposed stadium at Macquarie Point — the design is yet to be finalised. (Supplied: AFL)

“What this document shows is that the stadium is going to be built on 20m concrete pylons pushed through 20m of unstable contaminated mud.

“For the Premier to say this stadium is going to cost $715m is either dishonest or delusional.

“It’s pretty clear from this report that there are massive engineering challenges for any stadium on this site which to overcome will blow the costs out horrendously.”

Mr Rockliff said all the engineering works had been “factored in” and there had been various reports that were all publicly available and had been presented to the Parliamentary Accounts Committee.

He rejected suggestions that the 2015 report cast doubt on the stability of the site for a stadium.

“We’ve factored in all the challenges and we’ve got a contingency of course,” Mr Rockliff said.

“We have a contingency, of course, for the build and overrun should they be required.

“This is more than an AFL team, more than just a stadium, this is about a precinct, this is about urban renewal.

“I’m very confident that we can build a stadium at Macquarie Point that will be iconic infrastructure.”

The report said “piled foundations” would be needed for “all sensitive buildings/structures”.

“This could include 1-2 storey buildings and certainly buildings that are 3 levels or greater,” it said.

Dr Broad said a rugby stadium planned for Penrith, NSW, was much smaller than the Macquarie Point stadium and had been abandoned because the costs blew out from $300m to $900m in a couple of years.

He said Mr Rockliff “should sit down with the AFL and have civilised, mature conversations about the best way forward” and renegotiate the deal for a roofed stadium.

Mr Rockliff said the momentum for a stadium was “unstoppable”.

“It’s high time the Labor Party really got with the program,” he said.

Originally published as Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff hits back at Labor Party concerns over Mac Pt stadium cost blowouts