AFL, stakeholders weigh in on Planning Commission's draft assessment of Macquarie Point stadium proposal

In the aftermath of a damning report of the planned Macquarie Point stadium, the AFL has reiterated it must go ahead if Tasmania wants a team in the competition.

The AFL and other key stakeholders have reacted after the release of the Tasmanian Planning Commission's draft report which outlines issues on the proposed Hobart stadium.

The stadium was the topic of all but two questions in parliament on Tuesday, with Premier Jeremy Rockliff told "you and your government are going to send the state broke if you continue down this line".

Independent MP Rebekah Pentland says "we have to make sure the team goes ahead … but the price tag is just crazy". (Supplied: MPDC)

Planning Commission lashes Hobart stadium plan Photo shows A render of the Macquarie Point stadium A panel assessing the proposed Macquarie Point stadium in Hobart believes the government has grossly underestimated the cost and overestimated the benefits.

Meanwhile, the AFL says a roofed stadium on the Hobart waterfront will remain a condition for Tasmania entering the competition, despite the planning panel slamming the choice of site.

The draft report from the Tasmanian Planning Commission panel highlighted safety issues for pedestrians in emergencies, that the stadium does not conform with planning schemes, will create major traffic problems and has insufficient transport.

It also pointed out that the area surrounding Macquarie Point — including a highway, a working port, heritage buildings and the Hobart waterfront — are unable to handle crowd dispersal safely.

Here's what stakeholders have said in the wake of the report's release:

AFL boss Andrew Dillon (left, with Tasmania Devils chair Grant O'Brien) reiterated that a new stadium with a roof was a "pivotal part of the business case for the team and the licence bid." (ABC News: Luke Bowden)

AFL chief executive officer Andrew Dillon said the Tasmanian government had some challenges to work through.

"Seeing the high-level report that came out last night, I've said a number of times, it's a complex planning process that we're going through," he said.

"It now goes to a hearing in a couple of months' time, and there'll be plenty of work done.

"There's some hurdles there."

The proposed stadium, as it might be seen from the opposite side of the Derwent. (Supplied: MPDC)

No stadium, no team? 'Absolutely' says AFL

Poll reveals support levels for proposed Hobart stadium across Tasmania Photo shows Concept art showing interior of sports stadium with cricket match underway. If it wasn't already official, it is now: The proposed Hobart stadium is massively on the nose among many Tasmanians.

The roofed stadium at Macquarie Point is a condition for Tasmania having its own AFL and AFLW teams, with the men's side to enter the competition in 2028.

Macquarie Point stadium is then expected to be finished in 2029.

The teams will play at existing grounds until the stadium is ready.

The 18 clubs signed off on the deal.

When asked if it was still "no stadium, no team", Mr Dillon said "absolutely".

"A new stadium with a roof was a pivotal part of the business case for the team and the licence bid," he said.

"And that's absolutely part of the conditional nature of the licence.

"It's ultimately for the state government, it's their stadium, and the [Macquarie Point Development Corporation]."

The Macquarie Point Development Corporation (MPDC) is the project's proponent.

MPDC chief executive Anne Beach said there were some "challenging issues" raised in the report, but she was confident the MPDC would be able to respond to them.

"It [the report] is focusing on issues and it's not commenting on things that … I think they're generally comfortable with, [that] they're not seeking any further information on," she told ABC Radio Mornings.

Anne Beach says the report focuses on "issues", not elements that the panel is "comfortable with". (ABC Radio Hobart: David Reilly)

She did not agree that there was not enough space for a stadium at the site.

"We started at a precinct level first and looked at what do we need to deliver on this site, and the stadium was one of those things.

"In looking at the orientation of the stadium, how it integrates with the other elements and how people will move and get to the site was a key fundamental consideration and that informed the design of the stadium."

Jeremy Rockliff and former AFL boss Gillon McLachlan at the announcement about the granting of a licence for a Tasmanian AFL team, in May 2023. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)

Premier Jeremy Rockliff was questioned on whether he would withdraw the stadium from the process and if he would bring in specific stadium legislation instead.

Mr Rockliff did not rule out this option.

"The timeline is challenging. Parliament will have its say, I can guarantee that," Mr Rockliff said.

"The TPC's draft report has taken a very broad sweep in its assessment. We are on a timeline as you well know, the clock is ticking, we must get this done and we will get this done."

Opposition Leader Dean Winter said the stadium was Mr Rockliff's "single project" and it was up to him to deliver it.

"When I became leader of the Labor Party, I gave this Premier the political support that he needed to get this project through the house," Mr Winter told parliament.

"I did that because I want to see a Tasmanian stadium, I want to see Tasmanian AFL teams. But I can't build it for him."

Tasmanian Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff described the stadium as the government's "pulp mill moment", referring to the Gunns pulp mill, which failed to get through a project of state significance process, then had specific legislation pushed through before the project was abandoned.

Eric Abetz says the government remains committed to the stadium at Macquarie Point. (Supplied: Macquarie Point Development Corporation)

Independent MP Rebekah Pentland said the assessment, which followed independent economist Nicholas Gruen's report on the stadium, again highlighted the cost of the project.

"We really thought the Gruen report would have been an opportunity [for the government] to sit back down with the AFL and come up with a fairer deal for Tasmania," Ms Pentland told ABC Radio Mornings.

" We have to make sure the team goes ahead … but the price tag is just crazy; we really need to get back to the table and try to negotiate something that's fairer for Tasmania. "

Rebekah Pentland says the government and AFL need to renegotiate a "fairer" deal. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)

Jacqui Lambie Network MP Andrew Jenner described the TPC panel's report as "damning".

To the Premier, he had this to say:

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