Tasmania's AFL saga 'embarrassing' for our state: Paine
Former Australia cricket captain Tim Paine has lashed Tasmania as "self-sabotaging", admitting he's embarrassed by the political upheaval that threatens to kill off the island's planned AFL team.
The Tasmania Devils are at risk of extinction before they have even played a game, after Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Thursday lost a no-confidence motion.
It means Tasmanians are set to return to the polls, likely delaying construction of a new stadium at Macquarie Point in Hobart.
The proposed 23,000-seat roofed venue, which is now slated to cost $945 million, is a condition of the Devils entering the AFL in 2028.
Devils chief executive Brendon Gale and chairman Grant O'Brien fear an early election would delay the stadium project and put the club's licence at serious risk.
The saga has prompted an emotional response from Devils staff, politicians and public figures this week.
"It is staggering that we do this to ourselves, we are self-sabotaging state," Paine said on SEN radio.
"I'm as proud as anyone to be a Tasmanian but at times it is embarrassing.
"I was with (Brisbane Lions coach) Chris Fagan the last few days at the football club, everyone you speak to, they ask if it's gonna happen.
"Even Fages, a proud Tasmanian, you could see in his face and the look in his eye, he was shocked that once again we have gone out of our way to stuff something up that would be great for our state.
"It's a doomsday scenario, but what if the AFL revokes the licence?"
The former Test wicketkeeper felt Tasmania would continue to be the butt of jokes if it can't deliver an AFL team.
"Tassie has for a long time been the laughing stock for the other states because of our inability to get stuff done," Paine said.
"When I was playing cricket people would say, 'Oh you're heading back to 'Slowbart', nothing ever happens'.
"It's the same as it was 10 years ago, and we keep proving people right.
"It's embarrassing when you're involved in national or international sports and businesses and you go to carnivals or Tests and people just continually shit-can us.
"They talk down to us and we continually prove them right."
Former Australia cricket captain Tim Paine has lashed Tasmania as "self-sabotaging", admitting he's embarrassed by the political upheaval that threatens to kill off the island's planned AFL team.
The Tasmania Devils are at risk of extinction before they have even played a game, after Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Thursday lost a no-confidence motion.
It means Tasmanians are set to return to the polls, likely delaying construction of a new stadium at Macquarie Point in Hobart.
The proposed 23,000-seat roofed venue, which is now slated to cost $945 million, is a condition of the Devils entering the AFL in 2028.
Devils chief executive Brendon Gale and chairman Grant O'Brien fear an early election would delay the stadium project and put the club's licence at serious risk.
The saga has prompted an emotional response from Devils staff, politicians and public figures this week.
"It is staggering that we do this to ourselves, we are self-sabotaging state," Paine said on SEN radio.
"I'm as proud as anyone to be a Tasmanian but at times it is embarrassing.
"I was with (Brisbane Lions coach) Chris Fagan the last few days at the football club, everyone you speak to, they ask if it's gonna happen.
"Even Fages, a proud Tasmanian, you could see in his face and the look in his eye, he was shocked that once again we have gone out of our way to stuff something up that would be great for our state.
"It's a doomsday scenario, but what if the AFL revokes the licence?"
The former Test wicketkeeper felt Tasmania would continue to be the butt of jokes if it can't deliver an AFL team.
"Tassie has for a long time been the laughing stock for the other states because of our inability to get stuff done," Paine said.
"When I was playing cricket people would say, 'Oh you're heading back to 'Slowbart', nothing ever happens'.
"It's the same as it was 10 years ago, and we keep proving people right.
"It's embarrassing when you're involved in national or international sports and businesses and you go to carnivals or Tests and people just continually shit-can us.
"They talk down to us and we continually prove them right."
Former Australia cricket captain Tim Paine has lashed Tasmania as "self-sabotaging", admitting he's embarrassed by the political upheaval that threatens to kill off the island's planned AFL team.
The Tasmania Devils are at risk of extinction before they have even played a game, after Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Thursday lost a no-confidence motion.
It means Tasmanians are set to return to the polls, likely delaying construction of a new stadium at Macquarie Point in Hobart.
The proposed 23,000-seat roofed venue, which is now slated to cost $945 million, is a condition of the Devils entering the AFL in 2028.
Devils chief executive Brendon Gale and chairman Grant O'Brien fear an early election would delay the stadium project and put the club's licence at serious risk.
The saga has prompted an emotional response from Devils staff, politicians and public figures this week.
"It is staggering that we do this to ourselves, we are self-sabotaging state," Paine said on SEN radio.
"I'm as proud as anyone to be a Tasmanian but at times it is embarrassing.
"I was with (Brisbane Lions coach) Chris Fagan the last few days at the football club, everyone you speak to, they ask if it's gonna happen.
"Even Fages, a proud Tasmanian, you could see in his face and the look in his eye, he was shocked that once again we have gone out of our way to stuff something up that would be great for our state.
"It's a doomsday scenario, but what if the AFL revokes the licence?"
The former Test wicketkeeper felt Tasmania would continue to be the butt of jokes if it can't deliver an AFL team.
"Tassie has for a long time been the laughing stock for the other states because of our inability to get stuff done," Paine said.
"When I was playing cricket people would say, 'Oh you're heading back to 'Slowbart', nothing ever happens'.
"It's the same as it was 10 years ago, and we keep proving people right.
"It's embarrassing when you're involved in national or international sports and businesses and you go to carnivals or Tests and people just continually shit-can us.
"They talk down to us and we continually prove them right."
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ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
Labor's Dean Winter says he won't give up the proposed Macquarie Point stadium 'for anything'
The leaders of both major Tasmanian political parties remain staunchly committed to a new Hobart stadium, and AFL team, even if it costs them a shot at governing the state. Both Labor leader Dean Winter, and Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff have re-affirmed their support for the Macquarie Point stadium and Tasmania Devils AFL club, in the midst of political upheaval triggered by a successful no-confidence motion in the premier by Labor. The move means the premier will either be replaced, or Tasmanians will be sent to the ballot box for the fourth time in seven years. The issue of the proposed stadium, which is slated to cost almost $1 billion to build, has fractured the state and if an election is confirmed, it is set to heavily influence the makeup of the next parliament, such is its prominence as an issue among voters. The stadium is unpopular across Tasmania but is a key condition of the licence agreement between the Tasmanian government and the AFL for a team. That team, the Devils, is almost universally popular. On Saturday, both leaders refused to waiver on their support for the stadium, and the AFL club that it unlocks, ahead of a likely election that appears destined to result in a hung parliament. On ABC Hobart's Grandstand radio program, Labor leader Dean Winter was asked if the stadium could be used as a bargaining chip in exchange for crossbench support, if his party was required to form the first Tasmanian Labor government in more than a decade. PRESENTER: In the situation where there's a genuine opportunity for you to form government, with crossbenchers, and you're in touching distance of forming government, can you rule out swapping the stadium for support? DEAN WINTER: I'm not giving up this stadium. Let me be clear. I think getting an AFL team would be the biggest thing since Mona. It'll be incredible for our state, and I'm not giving it up for anything. PRESENTER: So the stadium is off the table in any negotiation? DEAN WINTER: We are absolutely committed to the stadium. We wouldn't be negotiating building a stadium for that sort of thing, no. PRESENTER: Even if it could cost you government? DEAN WINTER: I am totally and utterly committed to it. It was a strong commitment to the contentious build in a week when the Labor leader felt the scorn of the Tasmania Devils football club, and of Devils fans who allege his successful no-confidence motion in the premier has placed the stadium, and the team, in jeopardy. It comes off the back of a letter to the AFL, which further confirmed his support for a stadium, and continued allegiance to the build despite an unpopular shift in planning processes for the project, rushed special legislation that was due to be voted on next month, and a rising cost to the state to build it. Premier Jeremy Rockliff has championed the stadium, and the Devils, since signing the controversial team licence agreement with the AFL in early 2023. At a press conference in Devonport on Saturday, the premier, who has so far refused to resign his post despite Labor's successful no-confidence motion against him, declared similar support: REPORTER: On the stadium, are you taking it off the table in any negotiations? Is it an absolute rock solid guarantee that stadium is part of your future plans? JEREMY ROCKLIFF: Yes. REPORTER: Even if you can't form government? JEREMY ROCKLIFF: Yes. REPORTER: The stadium is part of your plans? JEREMY ROCKLIFF: Of course it is. I'm passionate about it. We've been waiting for an AFL or AFLW team for over four decades here. But it's unknown whether a different Liberal leader would ditch the stadium in order to shore up crossbench support, in a bid to dodge an election and continue to govern. So far, Jeremy Rockliff has been unchallenged for the leadership of his party. Whether that changes in the coming days remains to be seen. The AFL's club presidents, who play a major role in the approval of new team licences, and who rubberstamped the deal between Tasmania and the league, are watching closely. Hawthorn president Andy Gowers told the ABC any changes to the current deal would lead to a reconsideration of the agreement that grants Tasmania its long-awaited team. "If there's any change to that, based on what happens from a government point of view, or any other reason, then we'd have to reconsider. "So, at the moment, we've voted for the team and stadium, and if there's any change to what we've agreed to, we will have to consider it." Mr Gowers will be one of 18 presidents who will speak with Devils chair Grant O'Brien in Melbourne next Tuesday. When asked what questions he would have for Mr O'Brien, he said: "How can I help?" Cold water has also been poured on the prospect of a pivot to the alternate, privately backed "Stadium 2.0" proposal for a 23,000-seat roofed stadium at nearby Regatta Point, jutting into freshly reclaimed land on the River Derwent. The ABC understands no meetings have taken place between project proponents Dean Coleman and former Labor premier Paul Lennon, and the AFL. It is also understood there is no desire from the AFL to consider the alternative proposal. In a statement to the ABC, an AFL spokesperson said: "A clear component of the licence bid from the Tasmanian taskforce was a new roofed stadium at Macquarie Point with a capacity of at least 23,000. "The AFL's continued position is that this is a condition for the grant of the 19th licence." The Liberal government has never supported the 2.0 project, declaring it recently to be "dead, buried and cremated". But Mr Winter conceded Labor would maintain a level of support for the concept, believing it could come into play should the Macquarie Point project be unable to proceed. He said he met with proponent Dean Coleman in April, but that Macquarie Point remained his priority unless there was no way it could be built. "I told him that, as I continue to say, we support the premier's proposal, we are going to support the process, at that stage I think we [referring to the] POSS [Project of State Significance planning process] but since then we have announced support for the [Macquarie Point stadium enabling] legislation."
The Advertiser
7 hours ago
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Privatisation shelved as premier fights to stay afloat
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"The community ... will be rightly cynical about the timing of this announcement and the commitment underpinning it, given it comes as the premier is fighting for his political life." Mr Rockliff's backflip comes as the Greens ramp up pressure on him to resign, saying they are ready to offer "confidence and supply" to Labor leader Dean Winter as premier. "Just because we don't see eye to eye on everything doesn't mean we can't work constructively for our state," Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said on Saturday. "Jeremy Rockliff could make sure there is no election by resigning. "But with the premier refusing to do so, it is incumbent on Dean Winter as opposition leader to engage with the Greens and the wider crossbench to prevent the state heading to the polls." Mr Winter has ruled out forming government in a deal with the Greens, without whom Labor doesn't have the numbers. 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West Australian
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