‘Election no one wanted': Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam warns AFL dreams at risk as Tasmania votes in unpredictable election

Sky News AU

19-07-2025

As Tasmania heads to the polls for the fourth time in seven years, Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam has issued a stark warning about what's at stake in today's state election, with the fate of Tasmania's AFL dream hanging in the balance.
Speaking to Sky News Australia on election morning, Senator Duniam said that voters are weary after two state elections, a federal election, and upper house polls in less than two years.
'I think people in Tasmania are pretty much over it. It's the election no one wanted to have, but here we are, election day, and goodness knows where this one's going to go,' he said.
With polling pointing to a likely minority government, the Senator expressed deep concern over what such an outcome could mean for the future of Tasmania's AFL team and the proposed stadium at Macquarie Point.
'The Liberals might win the most seats but in order for either party to govern they're going to have to rely on the crossbench in some form and if there are crossbenchers, independents, and the Greens, who are saying 'well if you want us to support you, then you have to get rid of the stadium', I don't think it bodes very well for the future of this project which sadly means based on the demands of the AFL our state will miss out on a team.'
He reiterated his long-standing position that while the stadium is a costly endeavour, creative solutions including private investment should be considered to ensure Tasmania secures its place in the national league.
'I've long said that we need to somehow find a way to get the team and perhaps delay the construction of the stadium or some other means of being able to do everything we need do to get a team, but sadly I think the result of this election, if it is a hung parliament that may mean we don't get a team because the Greens and the crossbenchers will say no to the stadium.'
Senator Duniam also took aim at the Greens for their uncompromising stance on the project.
'The way the Greens in particular have pursued this, I don't think it has been helpful at all. The idea that it was all or nothing I don't think was ever an approach that would work here,' Duniam said.
He highlighted the groundswell of public support for the AFL team and the long-term economic benefits the stadium could bring.
'The fans will be devastated if we don't get a team but in addition to that, the economy that would come with the stadium will be lost,' he said.
'Tasmania, for too long, has been seen in Australia as a bit of an anti-everything jurisdiction, and it's difficult to get major projects up. So, I do hope that when cooler heads prevail after this election, people can stop and think. This is not about the politics of the day; it is about the future of our state.
'The polls have indicated, as I said before, that the majority of seats, or the greatest number of seats to any one party will go to the Liberals, followed by Labour, then the Greens, and apparently a record high number of independent votes, which means you have presumably a high number of crossbench independents as well.
'Meaning it's very easy for an independent or a crossbencher with some local profile to get in to really throw a cat amongst the pigeons and create the instability we've seen over the last 18 months.'
Ultimately, the Senator urged the next parliament to deliver stability and leadership.
'I could not tell you where tonight's going to go, I know where I want it to go and that is I want Jeremy Rockliff to continue to be Premier because I think that's what Tasmanian's need but the 35 members elected at the end of this election have a job to do and I just hope they get on and do it for four years and stop playing games.'
With over 412,000 electors enrolled, the Tasmanian Electoral Commission is already seeing a significant rise in early voter turnout.
'Over 32,000 Tasmanian electors have already voted, either through return to postal votes, pre-poll, or our telephone voting services. And that's up by over 20,000, which again is about 20 per cent or more increase on the last election last year,' said Andrew Hawke, the Tasmanian Electoral Commissioner, in an interview with Sky News Australia.