The Prime Minister of Tasmania, Jeremy Rockliff, has confirmed that he has sought advice on alternative forms to progress in the controversial Macquarie Point stadium, leaving the door open to get away from the process of state importance process (POS).
The Tasmania Planning Commission is currently evaluating the proposed stadium and published a draft report on Monday that was scathing for government statements about the project.
Jeremy Rockliff has doubled his support for the stadium. (Supplied: MPDC)
According to the current POSS process, the Commission will prepare a final report that will be published in September and then the parliamentarians will vote if they approve the project or reject it.
In a matter of time today, the independent deputy Kristie Johnston asked the prime minister if the government had sought or received advice on ways of moving forward with the stadium outside the POSS process.
Rockliff told Parliament that he spoke yesterday with his apartment looking for that advice.
He said he would consider all options given the importance of the project for the State, marking the POSS evaluation of the stadium can be abandoned.
“Why would I not? Because we have committed ourselves to the process we are going through now,” he said.
“At the end of the day, the post process or enabling legislation, this Parliament will have its opinion.“
The proposed stadium site, which according to the TPC panel would affect how the space of nearby cenotaphs is experienced. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)
It is not clear how special legislation to approve the stadium could take, if the POSS process was abandoned.
The leader of the Greens, Rosalie Woodruff, suggested an approval or a permit could be “to hurry in this house in a matter of days” and urged the prime minister to reveal what he was planning.
Rockliff could not answer, telling Parliament that the council had not yet returned.
“What it is about is to ensure that we do this work and that we obtain a Tasmania team in the AFL and AFLW and that is why I have been so committed to this project,” he said.
“We will arrive and get this work [done]”
“I’m revashing other options,” says Premier
Responding to Jeers in Parliament, Rockliff doubled his support for the stadium.
“It is a building in a moor with sewerage by its side,” he said.
“I mean, seriously, it is a great opportunity for Tasmania.
“Why would you not be looking at all the options around this project?”
The stadium is part of a state government agreement with AFL to ensure an AFL team of Tasmania. (Photo: AFL Photos)
However, he confirmed that he was still “vigorously” chasing the POSS process.
“Now, I am also surveying other options, so I have sought advice,”
said.
“It’s not Armageddon, Parliament will have its opinion about this.”
Regardless of the process chosen by the Premier, the AFL stadium will come before the Parliament and need the support of work to overcome the lower house.
Labor supports the project that passes “through the current process”, but has raised concerns about taking it from Pose.
“Extracting the Stadium from its POSS process is a great risk for our AFL teams,” Labor Dean Winter Labor leader said Tuesday.
On Wednesday, when asked if work would support the qualifying legislation, Treasury spokesman Josh Willie confirmed that his party was open to her.
“Yes, we will support the progress of the stadium through Parliament. There is no doubt about that,” said Willie.
He also addressed questions about the work support to the stadium and if there was any condition in him.
Reporter: There are problems, but they [the government] Do not solve the problems, work will still vote for the stadium. Is that position?
Mr. Willie: Yes, we will support the stadium through Parliament. There is no doubt about that. It is very important to deliver the AFL teams that Tasmania deserves. It is now very important in terms of investment confidence in Tasmania. If this stadium is not delivered, we will lose the opportunity, not only for the teams, we will become a national laughter of laughter.
Premier “putting his head in the sand,” says the deputy
Speaking after Parliament, Mrs. Johnston said she was very worried that special legislation would exclude the public from the discussion.
“The clear process with the process of state importance is that it is out of consultation, and the public members can make presentations,” he said.
“I worry that the prime minister seeks advice on how to avoid this process.
“He simply does not want to hear what the problems are. He is putting his head in the sand.“
The leader of the Greens, Rosalie Woodruff, said it was “scandalous” that the prime minister was exploring options to “accelerate the stadium approval process.”
“It is scandalous to think that the prime minister would consider a corrupt process to approve such a contentious stadium,” he said.
Dr. Woodruff said the situation had “tones of [former Labor Premier] Paul Lennon and the legislation of Pulp Mill “.
“He took it out of the Poss process and pushed it through special legislation,” he said.
Dr. Rosalie Woodruff has accused the prime minister of cutting the voice of the community. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
But she said that what Mr. Rockliff was proposing was worse
“At least [with the pulp mill] There was an evaluation process in that special legislation, “said Dr. Woodruff.
“But what we have heard from Jeremy Rockliff is that it seems to be planning to hurry before the budget with a legislation that would be a rubber stamp for this stadium without going through any additional evaluation process, completely eliminating the voice of the community.”
In Parliament, Mr. Rockliff repeatedly pointed out the fact that public presentations were currently open, giving people the opportunity to say about the project until May 8.
There are two public audiences planned under the POSS process: in June and July.
In response to more ABC questions, a government spokesman said that the Department of Premier and Cabinet would provide the Council on alternative roads.
He did not give a timeline, simply saying that it would be received “when it is completed.” After that cabinet will make a decision.
The draft of the report finds that the costs exceed the benefits
In his draft report, the Tasmania Planning Commission panel called the “dominant” and “disproportionate” stadium for its location and would be “incompatible” with Hobart’s planning principles.
A visualization of an AFF combination in progress at the Macquarie Point stadium proposed. (Supplied: MPDC)
The panel had doubts about the statements in the application of interstate visits for AFL games that were 25 percent of the crowd, and 20 percent for sand concerts. The draft of the report believed that true figures would be 15 percent and 5 percent respectively.
The panel also reviewed the estimated cost of the project of the $ 775 million figure, at $ 861 million and then factorized $ 1,197 billion once other works, such as the relocation of the goods shed.
After 10 years, the construction and operational costs of the project would amount to $ 1.86 billion, estimated the report, with the stadium that returns only a benefit of 53 cents for the state for each dollar spent. Revised government estimate of 69 cents for each dollar.
