AFL Tasmania: New identity reveal not disrupted by election call, tax spending

Tasmania Football Club has confirmed the state election won’t disrupt the identity reveal slated for March, while Premier Jeremy Rockliff confirmed there would be a ceiling on taxpayer’s funds used for the proposed stadium in Hobart.

Tasmania Football Club executive director Kath McCann has confirmed the state election announcement would not impact the original date of the club’s identity reveal.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced on Tuesday the state would head to the polls on March 23, more than a year earlier than initially planned, with the outcome set to have huge ramifications on the 19th AFL team.

Mr Rockliff is an advocate for the new stadium, slated for Macquarie Point in Hobart, however Labor MP Rebecca White’s support for the project is not as strong, having questioned the current government’s priorities and calling for a referendum on the project.

McCann said Tasmania Football Club, which had announced it would reveal its official name, jersey colours and identity on March 18, was still planning to proceed.

“Tasmania Football Club will proceed with its club reveal on 18 March 2024, as announced on 8 February,” she said.

Kathryn McCann has confirmed the club’s identity reveal will go ahead in March. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“This is a significant milestone for the Tasmania Football Club and importantly, the Tasmanian community, and we are excited to share the celebration as we have committed.”

McCann did not comment on questions posed as to whether the club was concerned about its potential licence despite the upcoming election.

Nor did she answer questions on the future of a potential home ground and stadium.

AFL spokesman Jay Allen said the league’s approval was conditional, based on the new stadium being built.

“The Tasmanian AFL club continues to make great progress led by Chairman Grant O’Brien, its Board and recently appointed staff members Kath McCann and Jack Riewoldt,” he said.

“The AFL’s position is that a clear requirement of the 19th licence is that the team is conditional on a new 23,000 seat roofed stadium at Macquarie Point and that position was clearly reiterated by the AFL CEO when he appeared before the Tasmanian Parliamentary Committee last year.

“We look forward to the unveiling of the club’s name and colours in March.”

Rockliff sought to neutralise the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium as an election issue by promising to cap the state contribution at $375m, with any shortfall to be made up by the private sector.

The stadium is presently costed at $715m, with the federal government promised $240m towards the Macquarie Point redevelopment.

Rockliff pledged a hard ceiling on Tasmanian taxpayer’s support, with the stadium, and the state-based AFL and AFL teams which depend on it, set to become a key issue in the state election campaign.

“I recognise that this project is not everyone’s cup of tea and that some Tasmanians would prefer that this money was spent in different areas,” Mr Rockliff said.

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff press conference at The Tasman Hobart after calling an election for March 23rd. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

‘I also understand that there are concerns in the community that the final cost of the stadium could significantly increase, leaving Tasmanian taxpayers with a large, unbudgeted bill.

“Therefore, I have taken the decision that a re-elected majority Rockliff Liberal Government will cap Tasmanian Government capital expenditure on the Macquarie Point Stadium at the currently budgeted $375 million – and not one red cent more.

“Along with the Macquarie Point Development Corporation and Stadiums Tasmania, we will open private-sector investment options for the Macquarie Point Precinct to ensure the Government’s contribution to the project is capped.”

Labor leader Rebecca White was grilled about her party’s support for the team on Wednesday.

“The Tasmanian Labor Party 100 per cent supports us getting our own team and that will not be put at risk under a Labor Government.

“But we can also see it is such a bad deal that Jeremy Rockliff has signed with the AFL.

“He failed to stand up for Tasmanians, he’s failed to get a deal for us that really protects Tasmanians’ interests and delivers a team.

“A Labor Government would negotiate the deal with the AFL. It’s evident to everybody you can’t build a stadium at Macquarie Point for that price and in the timeline the Premier has said we can.

“I’ve been very upfront about this for nearly two years now. That Labor doesn’t think a stadium is the right priority for our state, we also don’t believe it can be built on that site, for that price and in that time frame.

“I think the AFL are also coming to realise that and I’m very keen to sit down and work with them to make sure we keep our dream of having a team.

“It would be pretty terrible of the AFL to rip that out of Tasmanians’ hands now.”

Originally published as AFL Tasmania: New identity reveal not disrupted by election call, tax spending