The extension
of the Hawthorn deal reflects how far we are away from our own AFL team thanks
to the state government’s debacle over the proposed stadium for Hobart.
In February
2021, then Premier Peter Gutwein wrote to the AFL saying the State Government
wouldn’t negotiate with Hawthorn or North Melbourne for new deals until they
received a guarantee on our own team.
The AFL said
that we would have a decision on our team by August 2022 but we’re still
waiting and the whole AFL Team has become mired in the stadium issue.
It should not
have been this way.
The AFL Team
for Tasmania was not contingent on building a taxpayer funded stadium in Hobart
and Premier Rockliff is on the record stating that.
Now the
Tasmanian taxpayer is on the hook for $460 million and the state government has
ensured that’s the case.
The stadium has got in the way of creating the team; of appointing key office bearers for the team, putting in place a board and starting our push for membership all because Premiers Gutwein and Rockliff have refused to stand up to the AFL.
Josh Willie MLC
Shadow Minister for Sport
