Latest news with #MacquariePointStadium
News.com.au
12 hours ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Tassie Devils CEO Brendon Gale responds to AFL club's ‘giant mess'
Tassie Devils chief executive Brendon Gale put on a brave face on Wednesday evening amid explosive reports the expansion AFL club is fighting for survival. While a 'very optimistic' Gale spoke confidently about the club being 'on track' and even ahead of schedule, he did float the possibility the club's controversial stadium – if it does go ahead – may not be ready to launch in 2028. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The AFL's 19th franchise went public with a plea to state government figures after Tasmanian Labor on Tuesday filed a no-confidence motion against Premier Jeremy Rockliff. The extraordinary development means Tasmanians could be heading back to the polls if another election is called. The move comes amid allegations the Rockliff Government has mismanaged the Apple Isle's budget and bungled key infrastructure projects, including the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium. That's the venue the Devils hope to call home when they enter the AFL in 2028. Rockliff has been one of the emerging football club's strongest supporters — even in a climate where there has been widespread anger towards the planned $1 billion stadium. Kath McCann, the Devils' general manager of marketing, corporate affairs and social impact, on Wednesday broke down in tears at a press conference. Pressure is seemingly building on the club's entry to the competition, but 56-year-old Tasmanian Gale adopted a confident tone when he discussed the precarious situation on AFL 360. 'There's some uncertainty around the leadership of government and … there's a vote of no confidence in the premier,' he began. 'But as far as we're concerned, it's business as usual. 'We're getting on with the business, we have to, of building an organisation and building teams. 'Clearly our existence is conditioned upon the delivery of a stadium and that's an agreement between the AFL and the state government and that stadium needs to clear passage of both Houses of Parliament. 'That process is underway at the moment and that process will run its course, that hasn't changed. 'There's some uncertainty around leadership and maybe the composition of parliament, but that really hasn't changed. 'We've just got to get on with the job and controlling things we can control.' The AFL has always maintained a Tasmanian team entering the AFL was dependant on a new stadium being built in Hobart. The Macquarie Point project has been highly divisive right from the start and that was before estimated costs first began to blow out from an initial figure of $755 million. It was revealed last month the total cost of the project has blown out to at least $945 million. The Tasmanian state government has pledged $375 million towards the roofed, harbour-front stadium, while the federal government has committed to $240 million. The AFL body's $15 million contribution has also been made public, leaving more than over $300m remaining to be funded through state borrowings. Gale was asked if he felt any unease about the budget blowout. 'Not really,' he said. 'Sorry it's a significant amount of money, but I was aware, I had line of sight. 'And to be fair, when I saw the original quotes three years ago, anyone who's anyone involved in any form of construction or development would be aware of escalation rates the last three or four years. 'So that number was always skinny and always going to be a bigger number. 'It's a big cost, but it's a huge investment, it's a really important investment and it's an investment the government has deemed to be worth making. 'We need as a state to continue to invest in growth.' Gale then talked through the obstacles facing the club in relation to the stadium and the Tasmanian government. 'At the moment it's on track,' he said. 'It's in parliament now, the legislation which enables the whole development is in parliament and it's been debated and scrutinised. 'It'll need to clear the Lower House and enter the Upper House in late July and if it's cleared, the government walks away with a set of planning approvals really. 'In that respect, were that to take place, it's probably ahead of course. 'It may not be ready by round one, 2028, but there's a process to accommodate that as well. 'As soon as possible is best for us and the AFL and the Tasmanian community, but it's on track.' Gale remains confident the club will proceed as planned, regardless of who leads the state, declaring it has 'broadbase political support'. He also emphasised the opportunity the Devils can provide. 'It's not about football, it's about the potential to lift this whole state, and we believe in that,' he said. 'You just saw the response of Kath McCann, it's a responsibility that sits heavily with us.' An emotional McCann had to compose herself before addressing the media earlier on Wednesday. 'This club is powered by future generations,' she said. 'I've got 50 students out here in my sight line, they power us every single day and they will keep doing that. 'We're going to play on. We want to see this team become a reality because our young people deserve it.' The football club also released a media statement confessing the political turbulence is threatening the club's survival. Leading Tasmanian sport journalist Brent Costelloe on Tuesday night told Channel 9 it is a 'giant mess'. The ABC's Chris Rowbottom also described the precarious position the club finds itself in on X. 'Tasmania's AFL license hangs by the barest of threads,' Rowbottom posted. 'There's an acceptance that an early election spells the end of any stadium, including alternate proposals, and the Devils.' He earlier reported there was a widely held view the 'Devils will be dead' if a state election is called. Gale spoke at length about the difficulties in convincing Tasmanians of the stadium proposal, describing them as 'always big, they're expensive and there's always a whole range of other priorities'. He also said existing stadiums in Hobart and Launceston aren't 'fit for the purpose of providing a sustainable, commercial business model to underpin a team in the big league on a sustainable basis'. But the former Richmond player and chief executive reiterated his confidence in the project moving forward. 'Recent events might create some more uncertainty, but no I think parliament is very supportive,' he said. 'Even this motion brought in the last 24 hours, wasn't about football or about the stadium, it was about some budgetary concerns, but I guess it sparked this chain reaction. 'So I'm confident the more people in the community understand the importance of the stadium, how it's critical to meet the commercial, financial requirements of a team in the biggest sporting competition in Australia, the more they understand how it will unlock a whole range of other financial, economic, social, cultural benefits, the more people are open to changing their minds and supporting of it.
News.com.au
19 hours ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Tears as AFL's Tasmania team falls apart over state government plot
The Tasmania Devils are fighting for their survival with political chaos rocking the entire state on Wednesday. The AFL's 19th franchise has gone public to make a plea to state government figures after Tasmanian Labor on Tuesday filed a no-confidence motion against Premier Jeremy Rockliff. The extraordinary development means Tasmanians could be heading back to the polls if another election is called. The move comes after ongoing allegations the Rockliff Government has mismanaged the Apple Isle's budget and bungled key infrastructure projects, including the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium — the venue the Devils hope to call home when they enter the AFL in 2028. Rockliff has been one of the emerging football club's strongest supporters — even in a climate where there has been widespread anger towards the planned $1b stadium. Kath McCann, the Devils' general manager of marketing, corporate affairs and social impact, on Wednesday broke down in tears at a press conference. 'This club is powered by future generations,' she said after stepping away from microphones to compose herself. 'I've got 50 students out here in my sight line, they power us every single day and they will keep doing that. 'We're going to play on. We want to see this team become a reality because our young people deserve it.' The football club has also released a media statement confessing the political turbulence threatened the club's survival. 'The political uncertainty that is currently unfolding in the Tasmanian Parliament is of great concern to Tasmania Football Club,' the football club said. 'Like the rest of the community, we are unsure what will happen today and what the impacts of any actions taken might be. What we do know is that uncertainty presents a serious risk for jobs, investment and growth, and for the future of Tasmania Football Club. 'Tasmania Football Club remains steadfast on building a Club for all Tasmanians. We are also steadfast on staying out of politics. We ask that our political leaders understand the implications of their actions and decisions on the future of our state for all Tasmanians, a future which we know Tasmania Football Club can play a significant part.' McCann said the optics for Tasmania pulling the pin were 'really bad'. 'What this looks like is uncertainty, what this looks like is a risk to invest, what this looks like is a state that isn't unified,' she said. 'I think we're better than that and our leaders need to think about the consequences of their actions.' Leading Tasmanian sport journalist Brent Costelloe on Tuesday night told Channel 9 it is a 'giant mess'. The ABC's Chris Rowbottom has also written on X, describing the precarious position the club finds itself in. 'Tasmania's AFL license hangs by the barest of threads,' Rowbottom posted. 'There's an acceptance that an early election spells the end of any stadium, including alternate proposals, and the Devils.' He earlier reported there was a widely held view the 'Devils will be dead' if a state election is called. The AFL has always held a policy that a Tasmanian team entering the AFL was dependant on a new stadium being built in Hobart. The Macquarie Point project has been highly divisive right from the start and that was before estimated costs first began to blow out from an initial value of $755 million. It was revealed last month the total cost of the project has blown out to at least $945 million. The Tasmanian state government has pledged $375 million towards the roofed, harbour-front stadium, while the federal government has committed to $240 million. The AFL body's $15 million contribution has also been made public, leaving more than over $300m remaining to be funded through state borrowings. Leading figures in the state, including recently re-elected independent Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie, have criticised the AFL for its demands for a new stadium in the state capital. Lambie said in January the project 'is not viable'. 'The state government needs to go and tell the AFL where to stick it right now and tell them it's not going to play the game,' she said. She called for the government to 'tell AFL Australia that quite frankly the deal is a dud, and that's it'. Leading football reporter Sam Edmund on Wednesday told SEN: 'Jeremy Rockliff looks doomed as Tasmania premier. Doesn't have the numbers to withstand the current vote of no confidence. 'The stadium — and therefore the Devils licence - now on very thin ice. There's a world where both major parties take a pro-stadium approach to another election, but given it's so hard to get a majority down there they'll have to cut deals with independents & Greens and the first thing to negotiate will almost certainly be the stadium that most of them despise. 'That's the source of the uncertainty given stadium is yet to go to a vote.' Economist Nicholas Gruen has warned the proposed stadium leaves 'Tasmanians at risk of paying too much for too little,' generating just 44 cents of benefit for each dollar of cost. Tuesday's no-confidence bombshell came just under 15 months since Tasmania's last election. The Liberals secured 14 of the 35 lower house seats in the 2024 state vote, giving Mr Rockliff a tenuous minority government. Labor last month resisted calls from the Greens to back a no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff. But opposition leader Dean Winter dramatically changed his tune on Tuesday during his budget-reply address and now all bets are off.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Why the AFL's newest team could be dead in the water THREE YEARS before they are due to play their first match
The Tasmanian Devils are supposed to enter the AFL competition in 2028 - but they could fold if a looming vote on the Macquarie Point Stadium in Hobart falls over. Brendon Gale, the boss of the Devils, conceded the situation has him on edge, with a vote expected from the Tasmanian government by July. Adding to the drama is a submission signed off by Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg on the stadium which emerged this week, with the cricket boss labelling the roof design 'unacceptable' for fixtures over summer. Put simply, if the legislation fails, the Tasmanian Devils will be extinct. 'The AFL has its own politics and its own constituents. And as we've all come to appreciate over the years, clubs have little power,' Gale told News Corp. 'The (AFL) commission has the power to run the game in the best interests of everyone. We absolutely believe that's the right thing. 'But presidents and clubs have power, and that is, to some extent, the right to sign off on new teams. 'If one of those conditions (the stadium) aren't met, if the AFL can't prove that the club can meet its financial needs, I reckon the (club) presidents would be hanging on to that then we could be at risk.' Starting a professional club doesn't come cheap, as Gale has quickly discovered. Costs at the club's future home base at the Kingston Twin Ovals, has already blown out to $120million with the state chipping in $105million, according to Gale. He also conceded they need to build revenue to at least $60million annually in order to be competitive come 2028. In contrast, Richmond recorded $125million in revenue last year - and that came despite 'winning' the wooden spoon after just two wins on the field. Meanwhile, in March the Devils left footy fans horrified after the club unveiled its striking new mascot with the bizarre name Rum'un. They also revealed the side's logo and kit, with the team set to wear a green jumper with a golden image of the Apple Isle across its front. 'Our newest recruit, Rum'un, will help us on our journey and be a great beacon of our club across the state,' Devils CEO Gale said. 'The creation of Rum'un reflects our club – uniquely Tasmanian, handcrafted and created with grit and determination representing our whole island. 'Rum'un is also a little bit cheeky. These characteristics are all true to the Tasmania Football Club, a club that represents our whole state and who does things our way.'
ABC News
21-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Concerns and hopes aired at public debate over Hobart's proposed Macquarie Point stadium
Cost, location, and the benefits to aspirational young Tasmanians have emerged as key themes during a public forum to debate Hobart's proposed Macquarie Point stadium. A 70-person crowd filled ABC Hobart's foyer on Wednesday afternoon, made up of those for, against, and undecided over the planned multi-purpose facility. Tasmania's AFL team being allowed to play in the national competition hinges on a new roofed stadium being built. It's a key condition of the government's deal with the AFL. The panel — made up of Tasmania's Business Minister Eric Abetz, the Tasmania Devils AFL team general manager Kath McCann, prominent architect Mat Hinds, and Independent MLC for Elwick Bec Thomas — fielded wide-ranging questions from the public. Among them, the possibility of renegotiating the terms of the AFL's deal to either move the stadium's location, or scrap it all together. "But the deal is there for all to see, that is what we are pursuing." Mr Hinds, an architect with Taylor and Hinds who gave evidence to the parliament's Public Accounts Committee on the stadium's impacts, said the current site was "far too small" for the size of the development. "The building itself is drawn to fit, but what we're not seeing is all of the energy of that building and its servicing requirements," Mr Hinds said. "It's 10 metres higher than the Tasman Bridge. One point of ongoing contention raised by the audience was the cost to build the stadium — a figure estimated by Tasmanian Planning Commission to be about $1 billion. Earlier this month, the Tasmanian government confirmed it would no longer seek private investment to help fund the stadium, opting instead to fund the construction through existing funding and extra borrowings. The government plans to sell off the broader Macquarie Point precinct to pay for the loan, which is expected to be in the hundreds of millions. While acknowledging the stadium and team came at a "big cost", Ms McCann told the crowd the team and the stadium could not be separated, and the economic benefits would bear out. "When this comes to town, the indirect benefit of new businesses popping up in this state will be enormous," she said. "I know it feels like the AFL have starved us, but they are setting this club up for success. Another sticking point raised by the audience was the approval pathway to make the stadium a reality. The state government has promised to introduce special legislation to allow the stadium to be built, after saying it no longer had faith in the Project of State Significance (POSS) process, which is currently being undertaken by the Tasmanian Planning Commission. The special enabling legislation hasn't been released, but it is expected to be voted on in June. Ms Thomas, one of the independent Legislative Council members whose vote will decide if the legislation passes, said cost was "front of mind" in her pending decision. "If I'm making a decision with my heart, Tasmania deserves a team," she said. "However … we have to make decisions with our heads. Lily Mills, a student at the Tasmania Academy of Leadership and Sport, said it would help keep younger people in the state. "Without the stadium or without the team, how else could the state offer the same standard of opportunities that the Tasmania Football Club has created and will continue to create," Ms Mills said. Earlier in the day, politicians and the tourism sector also made their views known. Peak-bodies representing the tourism, events and hospitality sector — the Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA), Tourism Industry Council Tasmania (TICT), Business Events Tasmania Board and Destination Southern Tasmania — said the "the once in a generation opportunity was too important to lose". In a joint statement, they urged Tasmanian policymakers to "back the stadium for its critical economic and social value and to create a vibrant entertainment precinct at Macquarie Point". All six Tasmanian Greens MPs gathered at York Park in Launceston to announce they had written to AFL boss Andrew Dillon on Wednesday asking for the stadium to be dropped as a condition of the licence. Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff labelled the stadium "a heartless and unfair" condition and called on Premier Jeremy Rockliff to ask the AFL to renegotiate the terms of the deal. "The train's left the station, the Tasmanian people and our team are onboard, and we're not going to have a stadium with us," Dr Woodruff said. Meanwhile, independent MPs Miriam Beswick and Rebekah Pentland called on the state and federal governments, along with the AFL, to "find a better way forward". "The three key players need to sit down and find a way forward that exposes taxpayers to less risk," Ms Beswick and Ms Pentland said in a joint statement.
ABC News
10-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Large crowd attends anti-stadium rally in Hobart, but minister says, 'We've got to get on with it'
A large crowd has rallied on parliament lawns in Hobart to oppose the proposed Macquarie Point stadium and the Tasmanian government's decision to scrap the current planning process for it. The stadium, a condition of Tasmania's AFL licence, is currently being assessed by the Tasmanian Planning Commission as a project of state significance. But the government has announced it will abandon that process and instead attempt to get the stadium built through special enabling legislation. "They're ripping up the rule book again, once again playing dictatorship not going through the planning process," Senator Jacqui Lambie — who remains in a battle to retain her Senate seat following last weekend's election — said at the rally. "Disgraceful. What sort of leadership is that? "And now they're going to push through a bill through to get this stadium built and threatening Tasmania's MPs that it will be their fault if they don't get it up again. "It's your fault [Premier Jeremy] Rockliff. It's your fault." Senator Lambie was also critical of the government's "spin" when it comes to funding for the stadium. On Monday, the ABC revealed the Tasmanian government had finalised its preferred funding method for the proposed Macquarie Point stadium, settling on a debt-funded model to pay for the project, which would include borrowing any shortfall of funds through the Macquarie Point Development Corporation (MPDC). Opponents have claimed the premier has broken a promise — that Tasmania's contribution to the stadium would be $375 million, and "not one red cent more". But the government has said borrowing money to fund the stadium was always the intention, and that it has the receipts to prove it. "Anyone who knows about this infrastructure knows the cost blowout, but this government only knows spin; say what you can to get out of trouble that day and keep barrelling on," Senator Lambie said. Independent Clark MP Kristie Johnston also spoke at the rally, and said the stadium's costs were "grossly underestimated, and its benefits overstated". Tasmanian Greens MLC Cassy O'Connor said community anger had been growing since it was announced the project-of-state-significance process would be abandoned for the stadium. "The strong message from today's rally is that, overwhelmingly, Tasmanians want to keep the team we've earned and deserve, but they reject a multi-billion dollar stadium and its drain on the public purse for generations," Ms O'Connor said. Sports Minister Nick Duigan said stadium builds were contentious across Australia and around the world, but he said the Macquarie Point stadium was critical for the viability of the Tasmania Devils AFL club. "I'd be so disappointed if we missed our chance," Mr Duigan said. Asked if the government had been up-front with Tasmanians over the funding structure for the stadium, Mr Duigan said he believed it had been. "I believe there has always been borrowings mentioned in the stadium agreement in the AFL agreement around land at Macquarie Point," he said. "The premier hasn't deviated one inch from his line about delivering the team for Tasmania. "If we are going to deliver the stadium infrastructure and the team in the timeline that is available to us we've got to get on with it." At the rally, Labor was criticised for its promise to support the enabling legislation, despite not having seen it, and for its change of position on the stadium. Ms Johnston said Labor's position on the stadium was "really insulting". "Because let's face it, when it comes to the stadium, Labor has had more positions than a Kama Sutra book," Ms Johnston said. "They are going to fake scrutiny by asking a few questions but at the end of the day they are Liberal lite and are willing to vote for it no matter what. "It is a blatant betrayal of their supporters and the community who need an effective opposition." Responding to the criticism, Labor Rumney MLC Sarah Lovell said her party supported the project because it was a critical part of the AFL team deal. "But we also support the stadium because we support well-paid, meaningful jobs and once the Bridgewater bridge is finished there are no major infrastructure projects in the pipeline anywhere in Tasmania," Ms Lovell said. Asked if Labor's support was unconditional she said, "No". "This is not Labor's project. "This is Jeremy Rockliff's pet project that he made a commitment to deliver. He took it to the last election, he was re-elected and he now is in the position where he needs to deliver this project."
