Tourism boss makes bid to curry favour with Prime Minister over Hobart AFL stadium
A key Tasmanian tourism advocate hopes to curry favour with the Prime Minister, writing him a personalised Christmas letter to drum up support – and funding – for the proposed new stadium.
Tasmania
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A KEY Tasmanian tourism advocate hopes to curry favour with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, writing him a personalised Christmas letter to drum up support – and federal government funding – for the proposed new stadium.
In his lengthy open letter, Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief Luke Martin congratulates Mr Albanese for his first six months in office and thanks him for his “amazing support”, “enduring advocacy” and “championing” of Tasmanian tourism.
“Driving across Tasmania today is literally a tour of Albanese outcomes for our industry,” Mr Martin says in the letter.
He then neatly segues into the lack of progress at Macquarie Point, assuring the Prime Minister that Tasmanians “share your frustrations” the $50 million in federal government funding provided in 2012 had essentially gone nowhere, with the site still an “ugly, barren car park” a decade later.
Mr Martin said the stadium plans were now the most “credible opportunity to finally activate the site”, adding a stadium would attract as many tourists to Tasmania as Mona.
He described the claims of those who oppose the stadium, saying the state already had existing infrastructure at Bellerive, as “short-sighted and native”.
“An AFL team is just the catalyst in transforming the way we attract and leverage major events in Tasmania,” he said.
“AFL would be just one of many sporting and cultural events able to be hosted at this new inner-city and all-weather venue.”
Mr Martin said Tasmanians were also conscious of the state’s “social need”, like the “terrible situation with homelessness and housing affordability” and “perennial” challenges with the health system.
His answer to this was that major events infrastructure stimulated private investment and economic growth, creating jobs and helping to generate returns in tourism and other sectors.
“We understand the Tasmanian government will be presenting you with a business case for the stadium in coming weeks. In this context we thought it was important you understood our perspective on the proposal,” Mr Martin said.
“We know you will consider the full proposal on its merits, and with the same strategic perspective you have considered other requests of the federal government to support priorities for our sector.”
His letter ends with well-wishes for Christmas, and an open invite to engage further with him “about this important project”.
The letter comes as the federal sports minister, Anika Wells, questioned the need for a $750m stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point to secure a Tasmanian AFL team.
“Three hundred and seventy five million bucks for a stadium is a lot to ask for,” she said on Saturday.
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