An artist’s impression of the Macquarie Point Urban Renewal Project. Image: Macquarie Point Development Corporation.
Legislation that will enable Hobart’s controversial Macquarie Point Urban Renewal Project to be pushed through has been released for public consultation.
The draft legislation released by Minister for Business, Industry and Resources Eric Abetz will permit the commencement of the multipurpose stadium project, which the government says will deliver thousands of jobs and an unrivalled level of economic activity.
The release comes just three months after a scathing independent Integrated Assessment Report into the project was made public, citing major cost blowouts and overstated economic benefits of the stadium as major concerns. The report was commissioned by the Jacquie Lambie Network and was authored by economist Nicholas Gruen in conjunction with the Tasmanian Planning Commission.
Despite the report’s adverse findings, the government determined it would press on with the estimated $945 million project. In April, Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the legislation would be introduced to Parliament to fast-track approvals for the stadium, in effect bypassing the state’s Project of State Significance (POSS) process.
Minister Abetz said the government had reviewed and acknowledged the concerns and challenges raised in the report within the draft legislation.
“This draft bill and subsequent planning conditions address these points and demonstrate the efforts by the government to ensure the legislation is comprehensive,” he said.
“The enabling legislation and supporting materials are hundreds of pages long, carefully addressing concerns, permits and conditions.
“We are confident that this legislation provides the necessary details for the Parliament to provide their support.”
In conjunction with the legislation’s release, the government has revised its cost estimates for the project, which show they are much closer to those of Mr Gruen’s report than those previously stated by the government.
It said the total cost of the stadium was now estimated at $945 million. This would incorporate improvements that it said would enhance the stadium user experience, including helping to facilitate cricket at the venue, and detailed items such as audiovisual, communications, and kitchen and food and beverage fitouts.
The government said the balance of funding required would be made up of borrowings by the Macquarie Point Development Corporation.
“We have been remediating and preparing Macquarie Point for development for over 12 years, and we know this land is the best available CBD site for a stadium,” Minister Abetz said.
“It is time to draw a line in the sand and provide certainty for our own AFL team and the enabling infrastructure that is critical to make our team a success.
“The impact the multipurpose stadium will have on our economy, jobs and investment is simply an opportunity we can’t miss.
“Now, it’s time we got on with building it.”
Consultation material can be viewed at www.tas.gov.au/stadium-legislation, or in person at the Hobart Library, Launceston Library, Devonport Library and Burnie Library. The consultation process ends on Monday, 16 June.
