Questions to answer over crucial Macquarie Point and stadium project

The federal government won't bail out the Tasmanian State Government with further funding for Macquarie Point projects if the $240m is fully spent on the stadium.

Last night Senator Tammy Tyrrell asked questions to the Department of Infrastructure about the $240m federal funding for the Macquarie Point Urban Redevelopment.

Senator Tyrrell says the Tasmanian Liberal Government has questions to answer about how key projects at Macquarie Point will be funded.

“The Premier and the Tasmanian Liberal Government have been waving around the $375m they found down the back of the couch for the stadium. But where is the money coming from to pay for the proposed housing development and the wharf upgrades?

“The Federal Government was clear - they’re not going to bail out the Tasmanian Liberal Government and hand them more cash to fund developments at Macquarie Point. The $240m is all there is. 

“I don’t think Tasmanians have a problem with spending money on housing and essential upgrades to our wharf for exports and the Australian Antarctic Division. But it is a problem if that comes at an additional cost of hundreds of millions of dollars because the money is spent solely on the stadium instead of these projects. 

“The Tasmanian Liberal Government needs to tell Tasmanians how they’re planning to spend the federal money. And if it’s not going to these projects, how much money will they cost state coffers? 

“I grew up in a house with not much money. I learnt pretty quickly that as much as you might want to buy the shiny new shoes, you need to make sure you’ve paid the power bill and groceries first. The essentials. The stadium is the shoes here; the housing development and wharf upgrades need to be funding priorities over the stadium.”

 

4 THINGS WE LEARNED ABOUT MACQUARIE POINT FUNDING AT SENATE ESTIMATES:

  1. The $240mil in federal funding isn’t earmarked for any particular project at Macquarie Point.

    The Tasmanian Liberals can spend that money wherever they like - including spending all of it on the stadium.

  1. The Federal Government won’t be giving any more money to Macquarie Point Urban Redevelopment other than the $240m.

    If the Tasmanian Liberals spend all of the $240m cash on the stadium, they’ve got to find more money in the state budget for the housing development and the wharf upgrades. And they have to do this, otherwise they won’t get the $240m.

  1. Details are hinging on a ‘Master Precinct Plan’

    The Department referred several times to the ‘Master Precinct Plan’. This plan should contain specific details about the developments at Macquarie Point, including how many houses will be built and what kind of houses (affordable, social or essential worker homes). As per the agreement signed on 17th May 2024, this plan won’t be delivered until June 2025. Another year without Tasmanians knowing exactly what will be delivered.

  2. There will be another state/Commonwealth agreement

    Once the Master Precinct Plan is done, the Tasmanian Liberals and the Federal Government will need to sign another, more detailed agreement. This will set out the specific milestones the Tasmanian Government needs to deliver on to receive the $240m in federal funding. There’s no timeline for when this agreement will be signed, but suggestions it could be in 2025-2026.

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