Prime Minister says federal budget could reveal Macquarie Point stadium future

As the Prime Minister prepares to hand down his second budget, he’s not giving anything away about the possibility of a new stadium. LATEST >>

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

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has continued to play a straight bat to questions about whether the federal government will help fund an AFL stadium in Hobart.

The state government wants $240m from Canberra to build a $715m covered stadium at Macquarie Point as part of its bid for a state based AFL team.

Speaking to Esther Nichols and Andrew Taylor on their Triple-M morning show, Woody and Tubes, on Tuesday, Mr Albanese said those clamouring for an announcement would have to wait.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

“Well we haven’t made a decision yet. We’re considering these issues as part of the Budget process,” he said.

“But we’ve been working constructively with the Tasmanian Government about urban development.

“We put $50m when I was Infrastructure Minister, responsible for cities, into Mac Point in 2012 and nothing has happened.”

Mr Albanese repeated his desire that the site be used for more than just a football stadium and said Macquarie Point should be redeveloped to take best advantage of the site.

“It should be seen not as a site of a potential footy stadium, but as a site for urban redevelopment that will enhance the City of Hobart and make it even better in the future, that will enhance economic activities,” he said.

“One of the things that I’ve said is that we need to look at housing, we need to look at the way that the beautiful foreshore at the Derwent operates.

“And that’s the context in which we’re considering the application essentially from the Tasmanian Government.”

The federal budget will be handed down on May 9.