Stop me if you think that you’ve heard this one before
Because one expensive, controversial project isn’t enough, apparently.
“Stop me if you think that you’ve heard this one before,” crooned The Smiths, and Tasmania might well be humming along as Premier Jeremy Rockliff prepares to fast-track legislation for a $775 million stadium at Macquarie Point.
Because we have heard this one before.
Back in 2007, Paul Lennon torched his political capital pushing Gunns’ now-infamous pulp mill. The independent planning process was too slow for his liking , so he scrapped it. Parliament was recalled. Special legislation rammed through. Critics were dismissed as anti-jobs and anti-progress. It didn’t end well. By 2008, Lennon was gone, and the mill never materialised.
bigmouth strikes again
Now Rockliff is playing from the same worn-out playbook. The AFL demands a roofed stadium. The planning commission isn’t done. So Rockliff wants Parliament to approve “enabling legislation” in May, before the final report even lands. The aim? Shovels in the ground by Christmas.
The public reaction? Same as 2007. Confusion. Anger. Division. Promises of economic uplift collide with rising costs of living and underfunded services. It’s housing vs. footy, democracy vs. deals, caution vs. legacy building hubris.
What difference does it make?
Rockliff, like Lennon, believes he’s delivering a bold vision. But what he’s actually doing is weakening public trust, treating the process as an inconvenience, not a cornerstone of good government.
Back then, it was timber and toxins. Now it’s turf and tourism. The details change, but the lesson is the same.
Tasmanians want ambition, but not at the cost of accountability. They’ll back a Premier with a big idea, but not one who cuts corners to get there. Lennon ignored that. Rockliff may be next.
i started something I couldn’t finish
And what if this ends the same way? Well… you can’t say we weren’t warned.Here’s the Spotify playlist that accompanies this blog. I’ve named it Hubris. Enjoy.