Tasmania AFL licence: Greens officially withdraw support for 19th licence

Premier Jeremy Rockliff has come out swinging at the Greens for withdrawing their support for Tasmania’s AFL licence bid because it is contingent on a new stadium.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff has come out swinging at the Greens for withdrawing their support for Tasmania’s AFL licence bid because it is contingent on a new stadium.

He fired back on Twitter attacking the Greens’ stance.

“Hardly surprising from the anti-everything brigade,” he tweeted.

“The Mac Point urban renewal project will be a game changer for the entire state — delivering the economic development and the jobs that are so important for Tasmanians.

“The Greens are turning their backs on our decades long dream of a Tassie team.

“I will not be altering my focus and determination one single bit when it comes to securing an AFL licence and our Tassie team.

“In our colours, singing our song.”

The Tasmanian Greens announced on Saturday morning they had withdrawn support for the state’s AFL licence bid because they say it is conditional on a stadium the state “doesn’t need and can’t afford”.

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said she had written to the AFL advising CEO Gillon McLachlan and the other AFL Commissioners of the decision to withdraw from the tripartisan push for Tasmania to join the national league.

Greens leader Cassy O'Connor pictured in May 2022 joining the push for a Tassie AFL team. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“Tasmanian Labor should do the same,” she said.

“They too were misled by the Premier who reassured us the bid was not contingent on a new stadium, when we now know the AFL said it was a prerequisite from day one.

“Tasmania has more than earned the right to join the national league, without billion dollar strings attached.”

The Greens still support Tasmania having its own team in the AFL.

Ms O’Connor said the Greens had been misled when they were repeatedly told a new stadium was not part of the bid for an AFL licence.

“The state will be saddled with a half-a-billion dollar debt when Tasmanians are crying out for affordable housing and a decent health system,” she said.

“(Premier) Jeremy Rockliff doesn’t have the guts to stand up to the AFL but we do.

“This is a con, we’re being blackmailed by the AFL.”

In the letter to the AFL, the Greens say they will re-join the tri-partisan push for Tasmania to have an AFL team if the stadium is decoupled from the licence.

“We are strong, unequivocal supporters of Tasmania joining the AFL and we believe the state has earned the right to be part of the national league,” they wrote.

It comes after Ms O’Connor backed the plan by the Macquarie Point vision group for a housing, cultural and arts space in lieu of a stadium.

“Macquarie Point belongs to the Tasmanian people, not the Liberals or the AFL,” she said this week.

“There’s no mandate for a billion-dollar stadium and very little public support.”