The Financial Reality
I firmly believe Tasmania cannot afford the proposed AFL stadium. With our current financial situation showing significant strain, I point to key economic concerns:
- Saul Eslake’s report reveals Tasmania already spends more per capita on infrastructure than any other state
- Government spending has led to sharply increasing debt, projected to reach $16 billion within a decade
- Annual debt servicing costs are expected to exceed $730 million before adding stadium costs
A Question of Priorities
I question whether a stadium should take precedence over essential services:
“We have a hospital system under strain, a massive housing shortage, and an education system that is failing Tasmanian kids, but that is clearly not where the government’s priorities lie.”
The Real Cost
The significant trade-off involved cannot be ignored:
“$750 million could buy you either one stadium OR:
- 10,000 nurses
- 9,000 teachers
- 3,000 homes”
The AFL Deal
I am critical of the arrangement with the AFL:
- No other Australian state has built a billion-dollar stadium at the AFL’s request
- Tasmania will spend millions annually servicing an AFL team that will likely draft only two Tasmanian players per year
- Taxpayers appear to be subsidizing even the empty seats
My Conclusion
“It’s not good enough. Tasmanians are concerned, and the cost of the stadium is simply too much.”
