The Tasmanian Government will introduce special legislation to fast-track the Macquarie Point Stadium project. The stadium, a condition for Tasmania receiving its own AFL team, has faced planning delays and public criticism in recent months.

Government abandons standard planning process after critical review

The Tasmanian Government has confirmed it will introduce enabling legislation to progress the construction of a new stadium at Macquarie Point in Hobart. This decision will bypass the existing planning process, known as the Project of State Significance (POSS), which has faced delays and public scrutiny.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the current process was creating uncertainty and damaging confidence in both the precinct and the future Tasmania Devils AFL team. He stressed that the project is vital for Tasmania’s sporting future and that further delays would be unacceptable. The government now aims to begin construction before Christmas 2025.

Several debates around new stadium projects are currently underway in Australia, including those linked to the 2032 Olympic Games. However, many residents are turning their attention away from live sports and focusing instead on online activities — often visiting top online casino sites with excellent reputations and the highest ratings.

The shift follows a draft report from the Tasmanian Planning Commission in March, which described the stadium as overbearing and warned it could negatively impact the state's credit rating. The economic review tied to the planning process, led by economist Dr Nicholas Gruen, also became a point of controversy. Dr Gruen had held meetings with anti-stadium activists before his appointment — a fact not initially disclosed in his final report. While he called it an administrative oversight, the government cited it as a reason to doubt the impartiality of the assessment.

Business Minister Eric Abetz stated that the report was tainted by an apprehension of bias and said the government had lost confidence in its findings. Instead of continuing with POSS, the new legislation will be developed to provide a clearer and more controlled path for approval.

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Public divided as opposition questions transparency

Despite strong government backing, the stadium project remains highly divisive among Tasmanians. Independent MLC Meg Webb criticised the move, calling it a new low and accusing the Premier of bypassing proper governance to force through a flawed project. She argued that the stadium could not pass regular planning standards, which is why the government is changing the rules.

Labor MP Luke Edmunds said that while his party would support the project in parliament, he was disappointed that MPs had not been briefed in advance. He noted that it was unusual to introduce such significant legislation without cross-party consultation.

Premier Rockliff said the draft report would remain open for public feedback until May 8, and the enabling legislation would be released for public consultation later that month. He expects the bill to pass the lower house in June and the upper house in July.

For now, the Macquarie Point stadium remains one of Tasmania’s most hotly debated infrastructure projects — a symbol of ambition for some, and of political overreach for others.

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