Tasmanian state budget will be delivered next Thursday May 25

Is there any chance next week’s state budget — and therefore the government — could be derailed by the stadium stoush? EXPLAINER >

Stop the Stadium rally on parliament lawns Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Next Thursday’s state budget is unlikely to trigger an early election with Labor refusing to support a Greens bid to defund the Hobart stadium.

On Wednesday Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said is was a “furphy” that amending the budget to remove stadium funding would amount to blocking the budget.

“The Greens will not be blocking supply, we will not be stopping our hard working public servants from being paid. We have advice that is very clear, we do have the capacity to amend the budget to remove funding for the stadium,” Ms O’Connor said.

Cassy O'Connor Greens leader. Stop the Stadium rally on parliament lawns Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Shadow sports minister Josh Willie said the Greens move was a “reckless stunt” that would block supply.

“I think Tasmanians deserve better than that from our parliament. We will work through this in a calm and methodical way, we will make informed decisions,” Mr Willie said.

Josh Willie Shadow Minister for Sport and Labor member in relation to the stadium deal for Tasmania. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

This year’s state budget routine has taken on an air of high drama, following the resignation of two Liberal MPs and the stadium stoush.

But when they resigned last week ex-Liberals John Tucker and Lara Alexander publicly pledged not to block supply.

Independent former Labor MP David O’Byrne is also unlikely to support the Greens — in part because he supports a stadium.

“As a matter of principle I don’t believe in blocking government supply, whether I disagree or agree with the government’s priorities,” Mr O’Byrne said.

“The reason why the stadium is so contentious is that this State Liberal Government are failing to deliver on core services such as healthcare, education and housing, combined with their inability to manage their own internal party matters,” Mr O’Byrne said.

“A good government should be able to deliver on these core services while also investing in infrastructure that would transform Hobart and revitalise the Macquarie Point site. I was the Minister for Infrastructure that secured the original $50 million commitment from the then Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese, I want the site activated as a part of a broader urban renewal project.

“I have always supported a Tasmanian team and it is clear from the AFL that for to happen the stadium is a requirement. After decades of fighting, we now have a team – I do not want to put that at risk.”

Member for Franklin David O'Byrne speaks to the media at Parliament Square in Hobart on Thursday, March 30, 2023.

Independent Clark MP Kristie Johnston said she may support the Greens.

“I haven’t seen the detail of the Greens’ proposed amendment as yet, however, in the absence of any transparency and detail around the AFL deal, it would be hard to support a budget that effectively signs a blank cheque for the stadium,” Ms Johnston said.

Kristie Johnston Independent member for Clark. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Political scientist Dr Richard Herr said the budget bill was unique in that it came in the form of a request from the Governor.

It was not a simple matter to change the budget unless the change was agreed to by the government.

Dr Herr said it was up to the government to decide whether an amendment was a threat to its ability to pass a budget.

“The government could deem it to be, so yes it amounts to blocking supply,” he said.

THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS

Each year, the Government presents bills to parliament for appropriation acts authorising the Treasurer to appropriate money from the public account for the purposes specified in the bills.

The annual appropriation bills are accompanied by the budget papers, which are tabled on budget day and followed by the budget speech. The budget papers provide detailed financial and non-financial information on the budget and the forward estimates (the next four years) for departments, legislative agencies, statutory offices and some state authorities.

Like any legislation, the appropriation bills undergo a second reading debate in the week following the budget speech.

In the following week, the appropriation bills and budget papers are examined through a Parliamentary Estimates Committee process where MPs can ask questions of ministers and agency staff regarding each portfolio.

Following estimates week, there is the closing debate and the appropriation bills are voted on.

Despite any disagreements with governments over policy, under the Westminster parliamentary system non-government MPs traditionally vote to pass the budget bills so as not to disrupt services.