The Premier has threatened to kill off the Tasmania Devils AFL and AFLW teams if state MPs don't vote to pass special laws to enable a stadium to be built at Macquarie Point. The move has infuriated key upper house independents, who've accused the government of political blackmail.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00A clear warning to any politicians thinking of voting against the government's stadium
00:08enabling legislation.
00:09If the legislation is not passed, the stadium won't go ahead and the team will not go ahead.
00:16The stadium is being considered by the planning commission, but the government is working
00:20on enabling legislation that will allow it to be built.
00:24If that legislation is defeated, the government will move to withdraw the stadium for the
00:29project of state significance process.
00:31It's just the premier's way or the highway.
00:34The fact is, if we want a team, if we want to start this project, we've got to get on
00:41with the job.
00:42With Labor's support, the legislation is already guaranteed to pass the lower house, but it
00:47will need two independents on side to pass the upper house.
00:51This tactic is designed to wedge those who are still undecided.
00:55I won't be bullied into making a decision.
00:59In fact, it's quite concerning that the language the premier is using is quite threatening and
01:04appears to be coercive.
01:06In a statement, independent MLC Beck Thomas questioned whether the government was trying
01:11to get the stadium built or hoping to see it go down among a sea of shifted blame.
01:16She said it was disrespectful to the intelligence of Tasmanians to try to trick them into believing
01:21responsibility for the AFL team lies with MPs who had no involvement in signing the deal
01:27with the AFL that mandated it.
01:30However, she said the premier's comments have no impact on her decision making, which would
01:35be based on whether there is sufficient information to demonstrate the stadium can be built at
01:40Macquarie Point and a clear plan on how to pay for it.
01:44If the premier thinks he's going to skate through parliament, threatening the upper house, not
01:49providing information to decision makers, the bill will fail.
01:53By confirming it will remove the project from the POS process, the government takes away the
01:58safety net, meaning if the upper house votes it down, there are no second chances.
02:04It's a game of chicken.
02:05The government is betting it'll win.
02:07The draft legislation is expected to be released later this month.