It has been revealed today that Tasmania nearly had the deal done to get its own AFL team early last year for $180 million, before a stadium was ever dreamt up.
Because of the Liberal Government's incompetence in negotiating a final deal and Jeremy Rockliff's vanity project of a new Hobart stadium, Tasmania still doesn't have a licence in the AFL.
Taxpayers are now on the hook for an additional $460 million, plus interest, plus possible cost blow-outs, and we're still no closer to the decision on a licence we were promised in August last year.
Let's be clear, what the AFL offered Tasmania yesterday in "extra" funding is the ordinary funding they provide to any new club over 10 years. Their annual reports set it out in black and white. This is also in the context of the AFL recently signing a record broadcast deal.
Jeremy Rockliff and his Government are desperate to make it look like his failure to secure a licence is all someone else's fault - now apparently including senior members of the Liberal Party and his own Government - when they have no one else to blame but themselves for endangering the dream of Tassie finally getting its own team.
Josh Willie MLC
Shadow Minister for Sport
