Tasmania should review the current contracts when they expire

Tassie may no longer be Hawthorn’s and North Melbourne’s ATM if the State Government follows recommendations in the AFL Taskforce’s report.

Premier Peter Gutwein with Errol Stewart at UTAS Stadium in Launceston. AFL taskforce announcement. Picture: PATRICK GEE

TASMANIA may no longer be Hawthorn’s and North Melbourne’s ATM if the Tasmanian Government follows recommendations in its taskforce’s report.

Hawthorn in Launceston and North Melbourne in Hobart play eight games a year in the state, picking up a combined $8 million of taxpayer’s money.

The taskforce’s business case said the current contracts should be reviewed when they expire at the end of next season.

The report does not say to cut the contracts but states: “Given the relative declining ‘interest’ in Hawthorn and North Melbourne’s Tasmanian content, coupled with Hawthorn publicly advising they have other options, the state should reconsider or at least revalue both ‘sponsorships’ upon their contract maturities in 2021.”

But taskforce chairman Brett Godfrey said the previous deals had driven the tourism sector and advised future deals be closely reassessed.

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said he had spoken to Hawks president Jeff Kennett and Roos president Ben Buckley prior to the report being made public and said the relationship between all three had been beneficial to all parties.

However, he did say the length of any future deals might be shortened.

“A 3-4 year arrangement is something we’ll be looking at,” Mr Gutwein said.