AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan (left) and Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff speak to media during a press conference in Hobart, Friday, November 18, 2022 (AAP Image/Ethan James)
Agreement in principle around the commercial aspects of a Tasmanian team in the AFL has been reached.
League chief Gillon McLachlan and the Premier headed to the Hobart waterfront to deliver the news.
Still in need of addressing is a missing $350 million of funding for a stadium with a roof, which Jeremy Rockliff will take to Canberra for the consideration of the federal government.
“We are finalising the business case now, we’ll be taking that business case to them shortly.”
The state government’s committed to half of the $750 million price tag for the stadium.
While applauding the progress in Tasmania mounting a team in the AFL, Greens leader Cassy O’Connor has released a statement that Gill McLachlan must be dreaming if he thinks he can bully Tasmania into stumping up hundreds of millions of dollars for a waterfront stadium.
She adds that the vast majority of Tasmanians are opposed to a stadium.
Labor’s Josh Willie expressing a similar sentiment.
“Tasmanians want an AFL team but they don’t want to pay a billion dollars to enter the national competition, Tasmanians want this government focused on the basics, they want better health outcomes, they want better education outcomes and they want better housing outcomes.”