Tasmanian Premier Shrugs off Damning Stadium Report

The Tasmanian premier says a controversial stadium planned for Hobart will go ahead despite a damning report by the state’s planning commission.

The long-awaited assessment by the Tasmanian Planning Commission, released Wednesday, recommended that the proposed Macquarie Point AFL stadium should not proceed

The final report said that the stadium would “diminish the economic welfare” of the state, the government's cost-benefit had been significantly overestimated and that it would have an “irrevocable and unacceptable” impact on Hobart's landscape.

The commission said the government would need to accumulate $1 billion in debt for construction costs. That would rise to $1.8 billion over 10 years, so taxes would need to increase $50 million per year over 30 years.

It said the construction cost was equal to $5900 for each household not reliant on Commonwealth income support in Tasmania.

The report provided a $974 million upfront construction cost, including car park, buses, lifecycle costs and state subsidy for the Tasmania Devils AFL club.

Its cost-benefit ratio was less than 0.5, the report said, meaning that for every $1 spent, less than a 50c direct benefit would be returned.

The report was highly critical of the planning elements of the stadium, pointing to its size as a major issue.

“The fundamental problem is the size, location and geographical features of the site, in its highly valued context, do not support the disproportionately large, monolithic building proposed,” the report said.

▲ A rendering of the controversial Macquarie Point Stadium.

But Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the report had “strengthened my resolve”.

Rockliff addressed media at an AFL ground in the north of the state not long after the report was released.

“What’s important now is members of parliament have their say,” he said.

“We’ll make sure the dreams and aspirations and opportunities with the stadium will come to fruition.

“We’re going to prove to the rest of the nation that opportunities like this can go ahead.

“Today is just another step. The report said this is still constructable.

“We are taking a step forward today.”

Rockliff said he remained enthusiastic about the project and the opportunities it would provide, and that the government “vehemently” disagreed with the report’s economic figures.

▲ Renderings of the new stadium and its impact on views in Hobart.

The premier said the stadium project was now estimated at $1.13 billion, up $185 million from a previous estimate of $945 million, which itself was $415 million higher than the original estimate of $715 million.

He also rejected the report’s projected amount of taxpayer funding needed for the stadium and said taxes wouldn’t be raised.

The 9.3ha site proposed for the stadium is near the CBD, tucked between the Hobart Cenotaph and the Macquarie Wharf. The historic Goods Shed on the site would be relocated to the northern section of the site.

The multi-purpose stadium has a 58,500sq m footprint and an oval the same size as the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The planned transparent dome is 54m at its external peak. 

The stadium would offer a 23,000-seated capacity for games, 31,500 patron capacity for concerts and a 1500-person function room.

Melbourne’s population is about 5.3 million people. Tasmania’s population is around 580,000.