Liberals at risk of losing South Australian marginal seat of Sturt: Exit poll
The Liberal Party is at risk of losing the blue-ribbon South Australian electorate of Sturt, early exclusive exit polling has revealed.
Liberal incumbent James Stevens secured 37.8 per cent of the primary vote in the poll conducted by NewsWire, which asked 193 voters across three booths how they marked their first preference vote.
Labor challenger Claire Clutterham nabbed 71 votes, or 36.8 per cent of the vote, and Greens candidate Katie McCusker secured 30 votes, or 15.5 per cent.
Independent candidate Verity Cooper scored 12 votes, or 6.2 per cent of the vote, One Nation contender Peter Bogatec secured five votes, or 2.6 per cent of the vote and Family First candidate Joshua Mervin won two votes, or 1 per cent of the vote.
Mr Stevens' first preference vote share in the poll marks a five-point fall from his 2022 performance, where he secured 43.1 per cent of primary votes.
His Labor challenger in 2022 secured 30.7 per cent of first preferences.
Exit Poll Sturt May 3 2025
Mr Stevens holds Sturt with a tight 0.5 per cent margin, and if there is a fall in his first preference vote share on election night, he could lose the seat to Labor.
The Liberals have held the seat, which covers Adelaide's eastern suburbs to the Adelaide Hills, since 1972, and it was previously held by former Coalition defence minister Christopher Pyne.
The sample size of the exit poll, however, is small, and the poll took in just three booths: The Glynde Lutheran Church, Campbelltown Uniting Church and the Kensington RSL.
The poll also assumes voters told the truth when responding to how they marked their ballot paper.
And Australia's preferential system of voting means a poll of first preferences only offers an indication of the possible final outcome.
Francis Ajo, speaking with NewsWire at the Campbelltown Uniting Church booth, said he shifted his vote from Liberal to Labor.
'I used to be a Liberal but I've changed for this election,' Mr Ajo said.
'Labor has been very consistent in their messaging and their campaign, about what they would like to do.
'Whereas the Liberals, every week seems to be a different policy.
'Their policies have to be more consistent. Not just jump from one to another,' he said.
Former foreign minister Alexander Downer, speaking with NewsWire at the Kensington RSL booth, said the election had failed to 'excite the imagination' of the Australian public.
'The parties are offering them benefits on borrowed money, but they are not talking a lot about how they are going to stop prices rising,' Mr Downer said.
Former foreign minister and Liberal titan Alexander Downer spoke with NewsWire about the 2025 election at the Kensington RSL booth in the seat of Sturt on Saturday.
'I think in every political contest. It should be a contest of ideas. And this election, it hasn't really come across as much more than a managerial debate, manage the place better than you do.Nothing much has happened that has inspired the public.'
All major opinion polls point to the return of a minority or majority Labor government.
Mr Downer expressed confidence the Liberal Party could rebuild, even if it suffered a defeat on Saturday night.
'They were in power for nine years, then they lost in 2022. It's only three years on.
'It's improbable they would win back in just three years on, and the fact that people are talking about it is a bit of an indictment of the current government.
Father and daughter Jeremy and Hannah Moore voted at the Kensington RSL booth.
Mr Moore voted Labor while Ms Moore voted Greens.
'There is a connection between the Greens and Labor,' Mr Moore said.
'Labor needs the Greens and the Greens need Labor.'
Ms Moore said she voted for the Greens because they were more 'progressive' than Labor.
'They're focused on serious climate action, they are more community focused,' she said.
She said Palestine was also an important factor in her vote for the Greens.
Irene Tolios voted for the Liberals at the Glynde Lutheran Church and said she had done so looking for the closest major party to One Nation and Clive Palmer.
'I want the closest to that opinion,' she said.
Housing was a central issue for her, she said, and expressed alarm on the impact of immigration on available housing stock.
'I've just come from the rental market and it's very tough,' she said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Someone will get hurt': Zoe Daniel feared for her safety in toxic election campaign
Zoe Daniel says the harder the struggle gets, the stronger she becomes. That's just her personality. But it doesn't mean she wasn't shocked, saddened and disappointed that the battle for the seat of Goldstein became so toxic that the former MP feared for her safety and was worried someone was going to attack her home. Sitting down with The Age for lunch at a cafe in Brighton East in the midst of packing up her electoral office, Daniel said she was, at times, scared for her personal safety during the election. 'I had the Australian Federal Police with me during the last week of the campaign,' she says. 'I was worried someone might attack our house.' The teal independent lost the seat in Melbourne's south-east to Liberal Tim Wilson by a margin of 175 votes after a recount. The close count further drew out a campaign that had already seen, Daniel says, bad behaviour online spill over into real life. During the campaign she says people screamed at her on the street calling her a 'c---' and a 'bitch', she reported harassment and stalking to police after a Facebook post identified her car in a private car park behind her electoral office, and she believes she was followed home in one instance. Daniel says advertising for her campaign did not target Wilson personally and was focused on policy. 'I won't go low, I don't go low,' Daniel says. 'The problem with not going low is that you just go under a barrage of attack.' Daniel says if voters in the electorate were driving down the highway seeing 'very personal' billboards targeting her, 'some of that will land'. She says fellow teal Monique Ryan also 'had it pretty hard during the campaign as well'. 'I thought one of us is going to get hurt eventually,' she says. Wilson said that after having had to make reports to state and federal police during election campaigns, he shared Daniel's concerns about safety. 'There is no place for conduct that makes candidates feel unsafe, and should it occur the best thing to do is report it to the police,' he said. The campaign in Goldstein featured billboards along the Nepean Highway, trucks driving around and digital advertising calling on residents not to vote for Daniel. She was also subject to attack ads run by third party proxy groups, including Australians for Prosperity and Repeal the Teal. One, a giant billboard opposite the Kingston City Hall displayed a photo of Daniel's head in a balloon. 'All hot air: Vote for change,' it stated. 'Blocked: Local voices. Disinterested: In local crime. Zero Delivery: On cost of living.' It was authorised by Australians for Prosperity, headed by former Liberal MP Jason Falinski, who describes himself as Wilson's 'good friend' and was behind Wilson's tilt at the Liberal leadership. At pre-poll booths, flyers were handed out with a photo of Daniel and the headline: 'Repeal the Teal'. They stated: 'Teals… Not open. Not accountable. Not independent. Not worth it. Put Zoe Daniel last.' Repeal the Teal is an initiative of the Jewish activist network J-United, with the material authorised by Harriet Warlow-Shill, a Melbourne lawyer who hosted an online event in March headlined, 'Does my teal support terror? One Woman's Journey to find out'. Warlow-Shill said the Repeal the Teal campaign was not linked to the Liberal Party, and that she resigned as a Liberal Party member in February. A spokesman for the Liberals said neither Wilson nor the party engaged Australians for Prosperity or Repeal the Teal. Daniel says much of the abuse towards her was 'opportunistic'. 'If you are a woman, they threaten to rape you or go after your children,' she says. 'As that kind of stuff continued to escalate, then people were getting those disgusting letters in their inboxes saying it was like 1930s Germany. I was really frightened of that.' The letters were sent anonymously to some residents with Daniel corflutes outside their homes, accusing them of being antisemitic and hating Jews. They claimed many in the Jewish community were considering their future in Victoria and Australia, and said Daniel's supporters were 'an active participant in our decisions to uproot our families and leave'. The letters, signed off 'Your Jewish neighbour', said the writers were not connected with any political party. Goldstein has a large Jewish population, with the latest census data showing 7.1 per cent of residents identify Judaism as their religious affiliation. The only debate between Daniel and Wilson during the campaign was before members of the local Jewish community at the Brighton Hebrew Congregation, where Wilson wore a yarmulke and declared he was a Zionist. He criticised Daniel for accepting funding from Climate 200, which he described as 'racist and antisemitic'. Daniel asked Wilson where his funding had come from and noted that he declared zero dollars in funding after the last election. 'I think it's incredibly unfortunate to see a political party weaponise people's grief and trauma for political gain,' Daniel says. 'I thought it was disgusting.' Daniel points to her advocacy for the Jewish community during her time as an MP, including helping to organise repatriation flights, establish an antisemitism envoy, introduce stronger laws criminalising hate crimes and support anti-doxxing laws. During the campaign, Liberal senator James Paterson accused Daniel of 'abandoning' the Jewish community and participating in the 'vilification' of Israel. 'It's just an outright lie, but it's also designed to inflame and, for me, that was at a point where I was starting to feel really concerned,' Daniel says. 'It's really irresponsible. You just shouldn't be saying that.' Daniel says she is proud of what she and her team achieved in Goldstein and believes the future is bright for the independent and teal movement, even though only eight of the 35 candidates supported by Climate 200 won seats this election. 'The independents got really close in lots of seats,' she says. 'There are various ways to measure success. I mean the presence of those independents now has the Liberal Party on its knees because the Liberal Party had to throw resources at so many seats that it previously would not have had to.' Loading Daniel says the independents and teals have delivered a 'massive change' to Australian politics. 'I don't think you can only judge it based on who won and who lost because I think what you need to look at is the erosion of the major parties, and just how that's changing the political landscape.' Daniel says there is a clear pathway for an independent in the future in Goldstein. 'Will it be me? I'm not sure,' she says. 'Do you want to have a look through my emails? Every single email is 'Please run in 2028', 'Please run in 2028', 'We'll be there', 'We'll be there'.' Daniel thought she had won on election night and claimed victory at a celebratory party at the Elwood Bowls Club, but a surge in postal votes got Wilson across the line. She says her supporters are disappointed but also proud and willing to keep going. 'I have the kind of personality where the harder it gets, the stronger I become. Not to say I'm not disappointed and generally pissed off.' Daniel says anything can happen in the next three years, in terms of domestic politics, international politics and what unfolds for her workwise. 'I am not 'in the foetal position' as the former member described himself after his loss in 2022, and for him to be telling all and sundry that he hopes I 'find peace' is the height of arrogance,' she says. 'His feelings are his own to wrestle with, not mine. I will write my own story and Tim Wilson does not dictate when my chapters begin and end.' Wilson said he thanked Daniel for her service to the community. 'The election is now over, the people of Goldstein have made their decision. As Australians, we must accept the results of elections and move on,' he said. Daniel is sanguine about what is next for her. 'I'm not dead,' she says. 'I'm not a career politician, so I've got other options, unlike my predecessor. I've done lots of different things in my life, and I've been really lucky with the opportunities that I have had. So I need to find the right path.'
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
‘Someone will get hurt': Zoe Daniel feared for her safety in toxic election campaign
Zoe Daniel says the harder the struggle gets, the stronger she becomes. That's just her personality. But it doesn't mean she wasn't shocked, saddened and disappointed that the battle for the seat of Goldstein became so toxic that the former MP feared for her safety and was worried someone was going to attack her home. Sitting down with The Age for lunch at a cafe in Brighton East in the midst of packing up her electoral office, Daniel said she was, at times, scared for her personal safety during the election. 'I had the Australian Federal Police with me during the last week of the campaign,' she says. 'I was worried someone might attack our house.' The teal independent lost the seat in Melbourne's south-east to Liberal Tim Wilson by a margin of 175 votes after a recount. The close count further drew out a campaign that had already seen, Daniel says, bad behaviour online spill over into real life. During the campaign she says people screamed at her on the street calling her a 'c---' and a 'bitch', she reported harassment and stalking to police after a Facebook post identified her car in a private car park behind her electoral office, and she believes she was followed home in one instance. Daniel says advertising for her campaign did not target Wilson personally and was focused on policy. 'I won't go low, I don't go low,' Daniel says. 'The problem with not going low is that you just go under a barrage of attack.' Daniel says if voters in the electorate were driving down the highway seeing 'very personal' billboards targeting her, 'some of that will land'. She says fellow teal Monique Ryan also 'had it pretty hard during the campaign as well'. 'I thought one of us is going to get hurt eventually,' she says. Wilson said that after having had to make reports to state and federal police during election campaigns, he shared Daniel's concerns about safety. 'There is no place for conduct that makes candidates feel unsafe, and should it occur the best thing to do is report it to the police,' he said. The campaign in Goldstein featured billboards along the Nepean Highway, trucks driving around and digital advertising calling on residents not to vote for Daniel. She was also subject to attack ads run by third party proxy groups, including Australians for Prosperity and Repeal the Teal. One, a giant billboard opposite the Kingston City Hall displayed a photo of Daniel's head in a balloon. 'All hot air: Vote for change,' it stated. 'Blocked: Local voices. Disinterested: In local crime. Zero Delivery: On cost of living.' It was authorised by Australians for Prosperity, headed by former Liberal MP Jason Falinski, who describes himself as Wilson's 'good friend' and was behind Wilson's tilt at the Liberal leadership. At pre-poll booths, flyers were handed out with a photo of Daniel and the headline: 'Repeal the Teal'. They stated: 'Teals… Not open. Not accountable. Not independent. Not worth it. Put Zoe Daniel last.' Repeal the Teal is an initiative of the Jewish activist network J-United, with the material authorised by Harriet Warlow-Shill, a Melbourne lawyer who hosted an online event in March headlined, 'Does my teal support terror? One Woman's Journey to find out'. Warlow-Shill said the Repeal the Teal campaign was not linked to the Liberal Party, and that she resigned as a Liberal Party member in February. A spokesman for the Liberals said neither Wilson nor the party engaged Australians for Prosperity or Repeal the Teal. Daniel says much of the abuse towards her was 'opportunistic'. 'If you are a woman, they threaten to rape you or go after your children,' she says. 'As that kind of stuff continued to escalate, then people were getting those disgusting letters in their inboxes saying it was like 1930s Germany. I was really frightened of that.' The letters were sent anonymously to some residents with Daniel corflutes outside their homes, accusing them of being antisemitic and hating Jews. They claimed many in the Jewish community were considering their future in Victoria and Australia, and said Daniel's supporters were 'an active participant in our decisions to uproot our families and leave'. The letters, signed off 'Your Jewish neighbour', said the writers were not connected with any political party. Goldstein has a large Jewish population, with the latest census data showing 7.1 per cent of residents identify Judaism as their religious affiliation. The only debate between Daniel and Wilson during the campaign was before members of the local Jewish community at the Brighton Hebrew Congregation, where Wilson wore a yarmulke and declared he was a Zionist. He criticised Daniel for accepting funding from Climate 200, which he described as 'racist and antisemitic'. Daniel asked Wilson where his funding had come from and noted that he declared zero dollars in funding after the last election. 'I think it's incredibly unfortunate to see a political party weaponise people's grief and trauma for political gain,' Daniel says. 'I thought it was disgusting.' Daniel points to her advocacy for the Jewish community during her time as an MP, including helping to organise repatriation flights, establish an antisemitism envoy, introduce stronger laws criminalising hate crimes and support anti-doxxing laws. During the campaign, Liberal senator James Paterson accused Daniel of 'abandoning' the Jewish community and participating in the 'vilification' of Israel. 'It's just an outright lie, but it's also designed to inflame and, for me, that was at a point where I was starting to feel really concerned,' Daniel says. 'It's really irresponsible. You just shouldn't be saying that.' Daniel says she is proud of what she and her team achieved in Goldstein and believes the future is bright for the independent and teal movement, even though only eight of the 35 candidates supported by Climate 200 won seats this election. 'The independents got really close in lots of seats,' she says. 'There are various ways to measure success. I mean the presence of those independents now has the Liberal Party on its knees because the Liberal Party had to throw resources at so many seats that it previously would not have had to.' Loading Daniel says the independents and teals have delivered a 'massive change' to Australian politics. 'I don't think you can only judge it based on who won and who lost because I think what you need to look at is the erosion of the major parties, and just how that's changing the political landscape.' Daniel says there is a clear pathway for an independent in the future in Goldstein. 'Will it be me? I'm not sure,' she says. 'Do you want to have a look through my emails? Every single email is 'Please run in 2028', 'Please run in 2028', 'We'll be there', 'We'll be there'.' Daniel thought she had won on election night and claimed victory at a celebratory party at the Elwood Bowls Club, but a surge in postal votes got Wilson across the line. She says her supporters are disappointed but also proud and willing to keep going. 'I have the kind of personality where the harder it gets, the stronger I become. Not to say I'm not disappointed and generally pissed off.' Daniel says anything can happen in the next three years, in terms of domestic politics, international politics and what unfolds for her workwise. 'I am not 'in the foetal position' as the former member described himself after his loss in 2022, and for him to be telling all and sundry that he hopes I 'find peace' is the height of arrogance,' she says. 'His feelings are his own to wrestle with, not mine. I will write my own story and Tim Wilson does not dictate when my chapters begin and end.' Wilson said he thanked Daniel for her service to the community. 'The election is now over, the people of Goldstein have made their decision. As Australians, we must accept the results of elections and move on,' he said. Daniel is sanguine about what is next for her. 'I'm not dead,' she says. 'I'm not a career politician, so I've got other options, unlike my predecessor. I've done lots of different things in my life, and I've been really lucky with the opportunities that I have had. So I need to find the right path.'
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Familiar face returns for election as stadium divides
A slew of familiar faces have popped up as candidates in a surprise state election that continues to be dominated by a controversial stadium plan. Among those putting their hands up ahead of the Tasmanian election are former Liberal state attorney-general Elise Archer, who will run as an independent at the July 19 poll. The snap election, which will be the state's second in 16 months, was called after Premier Jeremy Rockliff refused to resign following a successful no-confidence vote in his leadership. Ms Archer is contesting the Hobart-based seat of Clark after she was dumped from her frontbench role and quit parliament following bullying allegations. She denies any wrongdoing. She said she decided to run after being frustrated about the state's financial situation and poor governance under the Liberal-led minority administration. Minority government seemed "inevitable" and sensible but experienced independents were needed, Ms Archer said. Mr Rockliff declined to comment on his former colleague's tilt as an independent while unveiling the Liberals' seven candidates for the seat of Lyons on Sunday, but he reiterated only a majority government could provide stability. "A vote for an independent is a vote for politics and instability," he said. The premier was in Launceston on Sunday, announcing a pledge to expand women's healthcare service The Bubble and reduce the need for women and girls in the north to travel for care. The Greens, which could have a role in deciding who forms government in the 35-seat lower house, have called on both parties to clarify their position on the controversial Macquarie Point stadium. The stadium in Hobart is a condition of the AFL granting the island state a team licence and has been backed by the Liberals and Labor, but the Greens and some independents oppose the project due to its potential $1 billion price tag. The Greens insist York Park in Launceston, which hosted 15,000 people for a Friday clash between Hawthorn and Adelaide, should be the home of football. Mr Rockliff said his party supported the stadium as it would keep the state economy strong. "We keep investing in people, in infrastructure that grows our economy, so we can fund those essential services that all Tasmanians care about," the premier said. Labor Leader Dean Winter said his party was consulting with stakeholders over legislation allowing the stadium to bypass planning and development approvals, but he reiterated support for the project. "We understand that that's the link between the AFL team that Tasmania has desperately wanted," he said in Old Beach, north of Hobart, to announce a plan to slash development rules in half to get housing built faster. Ms Archer said she couldn't support the stadium due to the cost, noting "no other AFL team has had such strict requirements placed on it like Tasmania". A slew of familiar faces have popped up as candidates in a surprise state election that continues to be dominated by a controversial stadium plan. Among those putting their hands up ahead of the Tasmanian election are former Liberal state attorney-general Elise Archer, who will run as an independent at the July 19 poll. The snap election, which will be the state's second in 16 months, was called after Premier Jeremy Rockliff refused to resign following a successful no-confidence vote in his leadership. Ms Archer is contesting the Hobart-based seat of Clark after she was dumped from her frontbench role and quit parliament following bullying allegations. She denies any wrongdoing. She said she decided to run after being frustrated about the state's financial situation and poor governance under the Liberal-led minority administration. Minority government seemed "inevitable" and sensible but experienced independents were needed, Ms Archer said. Mr Rockliff declined to comment on his former colleague's tilt as an independent while unveiling the Liberals' seven candidates for the seat of Lyons on Sunday, but he reiterated only a majority government could provide stability. "A vote for an independent is a vote for politics and instability," he said. The premier was in Launceston on Sunday, announcing a pledge to expand women's healthcare service The Bubble and reduce the need for women and girls in the north to travel for care. The Greens, which could have a role in deciding who forms government in the 35-seat lower house, have called on both parties to clarify their position on the controversial Macquarie Point stadium. The stadium in Hobart is a condition of the AFL granting the island state a team licence and has been backed by the Liberals and Labor, but the Greens and some independents oppose the project due to its potential $1 billion price tag. The Greens insist York Park in Launceston, which hosted 15,000 people for a Friday clash between Hawthorn and Adelaide, should be the home of football. Mr Rockliff said his party supported the stadium as it would keep the state economy strong. "We keep investing in people, in infrastructure that grows our economy, so we can fund those essential services that all Tasmanians care about," the premier said. Labor Leader Dean Winter said his party was consulting with stakeholders over legislation allowing the stadium to bypass planning and development approvals, but he reiterated support for the project. "We understand that that's the link between the AFL team that Tasmania has desperately wanted," he said in Old Beach, north of Hobart, to announce a plan to slash development rules in half to get housing built faster. Ms Archer said she couldn't support the stadium due to the cost, noting "no other AFL team has had such strict requirements placed on it like Tasmania". A slew of familiar faces have popped up as candidates in a surprise state election that continues to be dominated by a controversial stadium plan. Among those putting their hands up ahead of the Tasmanian election are former Liberal state attorney-general Elise Archer, who will run as an independent at the July 19 poll. The snap election, which will be the state's second in 16 months, was called after Premier Jeremy Rockliff refused to resign following a successful no-confidence vote in his leadership. Ms Archer is contesting the Hobart-based seat of Clark after she was dumped from her frontbench role and quit parliament following bullying allegations. She denies any wrongdoing. She said she decided to run after being frustrated about the state's financial situation and poor governance under the Liberal-led minority administration. Minority government seemed "inevitable" and sensible but experienced independents were needed, Ms Archer said. Mr Rockliff declined to comment on his former colleague's tilt as an independent while unveiling the Liberals' seven candidates for the seat of Lyons on Sunday, but he reiterated only a majority government could provide stability. "A vote for an independent is a vote for politics and instability," he said. The premier was in Launceston on Sunday, announcing a pledge to expand women's healthcare service The Bubble and reduce the need for women and girls in the north to travel for care. The Greens, which could have a role in deciding who forms government in the 35-seat lower house, have called on both parties to clarify their position on the controversial Macquarie Point stadium. The stadium in Hobart is a condition of the AFL granting the island state a team licence and has been backed by the Liberals and Labor, but the Greens and some independents oppose the project due to its potential $1 billion price tag. The Greens insist York Park in Launceston, which hosted 15,000 people for a Friday clash between Hawthorn and Adelaide, should be the home of football. Mr Rockliff said his party supported the stadium as it would keep the state economy strong. "We keep investing in people, in infrastructure that grows our economy, so we can fund those essential services that all Tasmanians care about," the premier said. Labor Leader Dean Winter said his party was consulting with stakeholders over legislation allowing the stadium to bypass planning and development approvals, but he reiterated support for the project. "We understand that that's the link between the AFL team that Tasmania has desperately wanted," he said in Old Beach, north of Hobart, to announce a plan to slash development rules in half to get housing built faster. Ms Archer said she couldn't support the stadium due to the cost, noting "no other AFL team has had such strict requirements placed on it like Tasmania". A slew of familiar faces have popped up as candidates in a surprise state election that continues to be dominated by a controversial stadium plan. Among those putting their hands up ahead of the Tasmanian election are former Liberal state attorney-general Elise Archer, who will run as an independent at the July 19 poll. The snap election, which will be the state's second in 16 months, was called after Premier Jeremy Rockliff refused to resign following a successful no-confidence vote in his leadership. Ms Archer is contesting the Hobart-based seat of Clark after she was dumped from her frontbench role and quit parliament following bullying allegations. She denies any wrongdoing. She said she decided to run after being frustrated about the state's financial situation and poor governance under the Liberal-led minority administration. Minority government seemed "inevitable" and sensible but experienced independents were needed, Ms Archer said. Mr Rockliff declined to comment on his former colleague's tilt as an independent while unveiling the Liberals' seven candidates for the seat of Lyons on Sunday, but he reiterated only a majority government could provide stability. "A vote for an independent is a vote for politics and instability," he said. The premier was in Launceston on Sunday, announcing a pledge to expand women's healthcare service The Bubble and reduce the need for women and girls in the north to travel for care. The Greens, which could have a role in deciding who forms government in the 35-seat lower house, have called on both parties to clarify their position on the controversial Macquarie Point stadium. The stadium in Hobart is a condition of the AFL granting the island state a team licence and has been backed by the Liberals and Labor, but the Greens and some independents oppose the project due to its potential $1 billion price tag. The Greens insist York Park in Launceston, which hosted 15,000 people for a Friday clash between Hawthorn and Adelaide, should be the home of football. Mr Rockliff said his party supported the stadium as it would keep the state economy strong. "We keep investing in people, in infrastructure that grows our economy, so we can fund those essential services that all Tasmanians care about," the premier said. Labor Leader Dean Winter said his party was consulting with stakeholders over legislation allowing the stadium to bypass planning and development approvals, but he reiterated support for the project. "We understand that that's the link between the AFL team that Tasmania has desperately wanted," he said in Old Beach, north of Hobart, to announce a plan to slash development rules in half to get housing built faster. Ms Archer said she couldn't support the stadium due to the cost, noting "no other AFL team has had such strict requirements placed on it like Tasmania".
