Poll shows overwhelming opposition to $750m stadium plan

Labor has called for the state to walk away from the plan to build a stadium on the Hobart waterfront, but the Premier is convinced he can win people over. SEE THE RESULTS >>>

FIRST LOOK: Designs of what Hobart's new AFL stadium at Macquarie Point could look like. Images supplied by AFL

TASMANIANS are overwhelmingly opposed to the construction of a $750m AFL stadium on Hobart’s waterfront, opinion polling commissioned by the Labor Party has revealed.

Telephone polling of 2,541 people conducted in early October found 67.3 per cent of respondents against the plan: with 52 per cent of those asked saying they were strongly opposed.

Just 16.6 per cent of those polled were in favour — 8.1 per cent registering strong support. Another 14.9 per cent of the sample was neutral.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Friday said many people in the community supported the stadium and his government would press on to realise the economic values of the plan.

“Change is never easy, I acknowledge that. I’d caution people against the poll, however I haven’t seen how the questions were presented,” he said.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff is convinced he can win Tasmanians over when it comes to the proposed stadium. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

As premier and as a government we need to lead and to ensure that we make available to the Tasmanian community as a whole every opportunity that comes before us.

‘This is a significant economic, jobs and social infrastructure opportunity that I know has been controversial in other states of Australia.

“Once the buildings and construction and the developments comes to fruition, of course people then come on board. “I want to ensure that we do all we can to take Tasmanians on the journey.

Mr Rockliff rejected the proposition that linking the proposal for a Tasmanian AFL team to the stadium had doomed both.

“We’ve always focused on the dream of having our own AFL team. What is important when it comes to the granting of a 19th licence is that we ensure that this is positive, and we don’t set ourselves up to fail.”

“Clearly there’s been work done to say that at some time in the future we do need a stadium to ensure the sustainability of an AFL team.”

Labor’s Josh Willie said it was time to abandon building a stadium for the nation’s richest sporting code.

“It’s clear this government has the wrong priorities.

“This polling was done by a reputable company in community engagement. And it’s time for Jeremy Rockliff as premier to stand up to the AFL and get the team that Tasmania deserves without a billion dollar price tag.

Labor member Josh Willie. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“We have a health crisis. We have a housing crisis. We have a cost of living crisis that is off the scale that many Tasmanians are finding very, very tough at the moment.

“Yet this government wants to spend nearly a billion dollars on a waterfront Stadium in Hobart when many Tasmanians can’t put a roof over their head.

“They’re struggling with their power bills. It’s time for this government, in particular Jeremy Rockliff to stand up to the AFL. Tasmania’s a heartland AFL state, we deserve our own team in the national competition.

“We have two AFL venues that the AFL is quite happy to play games at when the Tasmanian taxpayer is subsidising it.”