‘The stadium was dead from the beginning’: Greens promise to fight stadium in new government

A second minor party has spoken out about a new AFL stadium after the Greens came out with a promise on the proposal. However, the Liberals are remaining optimistic.

Greens Leader, Rosalie Woodruff MP and Vica Bayley MP at Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

Updated: Despite promises from both the Greens and Jacqui Lambie Network that they would not back the proposed AFL stadium at Macquarie Point, Liberal’s deputy leader Michael Ferguson remains hopeful.

Mr Ferguson said he believes the stadium deal would continue with ongoing negotiations.

“The Premier has already opened up discussions with Senator Lambie, and we look forward to having more detailed personal discussions. I suspect that those discussions will be in good faith,” he said.

Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson addresses how the Liberal Party has begun negotiations with independents and the Jacqui Lambie Network in an attempt to form a majority government, at Civic Square in Launceston. Picture: Stephanie Dalton

“Senator Lambie said that her new members would want to see the negotiation of the contract with the AFL, and I thought that’s a fair-minded request.

“I think it opens the way for more people to be able to get the kind of detail that they’re looking for in order to make their decisions on important policy matters like that.”

Mr Ferguson said the Liberals had entered discussions with members of the crossbench and are promising to focus on stabilising Tasmanian politics.

“I think that people who are elected for the first time in Tasmanian Parliament under the new JLN banner will no doubt want to make their mark and represent their new electorates,” he said.

“At the same time, we all, Liberal or JLN, have an obligation and a duty to bring stability to politics so that the people of Tasmania can get the best possible quality of life.”

– Stephanie Dalton

Lambie wants stadium transparency

Earlier: On Monday, Jacqui Lambie says an AFL stadium is not on her network’s wishlist.

She said she was not inclined to back the proposed AFL stadium at Macquarie Point.

“They weren’t transparent. This is a deal between Jeremy Rockliff and the AFL and it should have been a deal done with the people of Tasmania and the AFL — and that was never done,” she said.

“They were not transparent about it at all at all.”

She also spoke on her role as kingmaker following Saturday’s state election, with the party looking likely to secure seats.

– David Killick

Stadium promise from Greens

Initial: Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff says it is “bitterly disappointing” that Labor had “walked away” from the possibility of forming minority government.

After Labor leader Rebecca White conceded on Sunday that her party was unlikely to form government, Dr Woodruff said she had “gifted” government to the incumbent Liberal Party.

Both major parties ruled out a deal with the Greens prior to the election.

“Instead of considering their options, and working with the crossbench, Labor appears to have picked internal politics over possibility, and action,” she said in a statement.

Nevertheless, Dr Woodruff told reporters on Sunday that it had been a “great morning to wake up to, for Tasmania’s democracy” – given the Greens had won at least three, and potentially up to five seats, following Saturday’s state election.

“I’m absolutely confident that the Greens are going to have a big say in the next parliament,” she said.

Macquarie point stadium artists impression

She said if the Greens found itself with the power to do so, it would “absolutely” take steps to kill the stadium if it finds itself holding the balance of power in the new government.

Dr Woodruff told reporters on Sunday that it had been a “great morning to wake up to, for Tasmania’s democracy” – given the Greens had won at least three, and potentially up to five seats, following Saturday’s state election.

“I’m absolutely confident that the Greens are going to have a big say in the next parliament,” she said.

“There’s no doubt neither the Liberal or Labor parties will be governing in majority, so there will be conversations that will have to be had.

Vica Bayley MP and Greens Leader Rosalie Woodruff MP at Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

“(But) it’s very early days and there are two weeks to go in the count … we’re in a very moving space.”

She said if the Greens found itself with the power to do so, it would “absolutely” take steps to block the controversial stadium – and fight for its other key areas of concern.

“We will fight very hard not to have a stadium and we’ll fight very hard to get renter’s rights, real protection for the environment, and a real injection of money and resources into the health system,” she said.

Dr Woodruff said she believed that not only was the stadium dead, but that it had been “dead from the beginning”.

“The stadium was definitely never needed, it was never part of the tri-partisan agreement that the Greens signed up to,” she said.

“We don’t need it. We’ve got more than 100,000 Tasmanians who have bought up as foundation members of our Tasmania Devils team. It is going to start playing in York Park. York Park is good enough, in fact it’s got the best playing surface in the country.”

– Amber Wilson

Originally published as ‘The stadium was dead from the beginning’: Greens promise to fight stadium in new government