Tasmanian Labor backs building a new Hobart stadium after losing election on platform of no stadium

The Tasmanian Labor Party has switched sides to back a long opposed Macquarie Point Stadium. What’s being said about the ‘stunning backflip’.

Shadow Cabinet announced, Josh Willie MP, Labor Leader Dean Winter MP and Ella Haddad MP at Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

Leaders of Tasmania’s property and construction industries have welcomed Labor leader Dean Winter’s shock announcement to drop the anti-stadium policy his party took to the March election.

They say bipartisan support for the project would ultimately result in a boost to the state’s economy and employment numbers.

And while the freshly minted Opposition Leader’s decision to reverse his party’s stadium stance was praised by Premier Jeremy Rockliff, Greens infrastructure spokesperson Vica Bayley slammed Labor for withholding its “stunning backflip” until after the Legislative Council elections.

Under an agreement signed between Premier Rockliff and the AFL, Tasmania’s entry into the national competition remains contingent on a new, 23,000-seat roofed stadium being built at Hobart’s Macquarie Point.

In a press conference in central Hobart on Monday, Mr Winter said that while Labor remained concerned about how the Government’s proposal would be delivered, his party would no longer stand in the way of a stadium’s construction.

“Labor has changed,” Mr Winter said.

“Under my leadership, the Labor Party stands for safe, secure, well-paid jobs.”

Despite receiving the effusive support of Premier Rockliff, who said it was “great to see Labor is finally on board on MacPoint,” Mr Winter said he would continue holding the government to account on its election promise to cap the taxpayer contribution to the project at $375 million.

Meanwhile, Mr Bayley said that despite having the support of the two major parties, the stadium proposal was still opposed by a majority of Tasmanians, mainly due to its expected billion-dollar price tag.

2024 Tasmanian State Election Vica Bayley member for Clark. Picture: Caroline Tan

Mr Bayley said that the Greens would continue to oppose the construction of any new stadium in Hobart, and accused Labor of cynically timing its announcement until after the Upper House elections.

“This is a jaw dropping decision, even for the party that reversed their position on poker machines, political donation reform, mandatory minimum sentences, key planning laws, and much more,” Mr Bayley said.

“And rather than being honest with the communities voting in Saturday’s Legislative Council elections, they waited until afterwards to show their true colours.

“If Dean Winter had made this announcement last week, how many voters would have changed their mind and voted for a candidate that truly opposed the stadium?”

Brandon Atkinson owner of Acon Property and Rebecca Ellston Tasmanian executive director Property Council of Australia. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The Property Council of Australia’s Tasmanian executive director, Rebecca Ellston, said Labor’s decision to back the construction of a new stadium would result in a welcome boost to job numbers in the state.

“What we know is that for every $1 million spent, seven full-time equivalent jobs are created,” Ms Ellston said.

“And that will be reflected not just in Tasmania’s southern communities, but right across the state.”

Master Builders Tasmania chief executive David Clerk indicated his organisation was “agnostic” as to which stadium proposal was eventually built, saying that both offered the chance not just for employment, but for the development of Tasmania’s construction workforce.

“It’s an opportunity to get new apprentices involved in a massive project,” Mr Clerk said.

“On an annual basis, construction in Tasmania is worth about $4 billion.

“This is a $700 million-plus project, so it’s very significant.”

Labor switches sides to back a new Hobart stadium

After taking an anti-stadium stance to the last election, the Tasmanian Labor Party under new leader Dean Winter has performed a policy backflip to announce its support the major infrastructure project.

The future of Tasmania’s AFL team is set to hinge on building a new-roofed stadium in Hobart, which Labor didn’t support at the polls earlier this year.

On Monday, Labor leader Dean Winter announced his party would now support the building of a new stadium on the back of more jobs.

“A stadium will mean thousands of jobs in construction, including hundreds of apprenticeships,” Mr Winter said.

“That’s why Labor will be backing a new stadium.

“Labor’s support doesn’t mean the Premier will be let off the hook for the promises he has made – far from it. He needs to deliver his capped spend of $375m, with private investors to cover any shortfall.

“While we will not be standing in the way of the current Macquarie Point stadium proposal, we still hold concerns around the deliverability of the project. The Premier should not rule out the Stadium 2.0 project.

“Labor has changed. Under my leadership, the Labor Party stands for safe, secure, well-paid jobs. That means we will support projects with the potential to create thousands of new jobs – including a new stadium.”

Macquarie Point Stadium artists impression

He said his party supported jobs and the importance of having a clear construction line for the whole of Tasmania.

Mr Winter said that while he remained critical of the deal struck between Premier Jeremy Rockliff and the AFL on the stadium, he said the project was desperately required with the Bridgewater Bridge the only other major project currently underway across the state.

And while the Opposition leader would not be drawn on whether he supported the Government’s design for Macquarie Point, or Dean Coleman’s alternative 2.0 proposal.

But he called on Mr Rockliff to consider all options, saying failure to deliver the project would cost up to 4000 jobs during construction.

“We want to make sure that we are actually delivering a project here, we can’t just be moving forward with one project when there are a lot of risk to it.

“So I think it’s important that he keeps an open mind on it.”

Tasmania Devils AFL Club Chairman Grant O’Brien said Mr Winter’s announcement was a step in the right direction for the club’s entry into the national competition.

“The announcement today by Labor leader Dean Winter is certainly very welcome news for our club,” he said.

“The almost 200k founding members and this announcement today show the support and determination Tasmanians have to deliver on the opportunity presented to us.

“Another important day for the Devils!!”