In the news
Our Place Responds to Premier’s Comments on AFL Agreement and Stadium Delay
OUR PLACE - HOBART has called on Premier Jeremy Rockliff to come clean with the Tasmanian people about the costs and timing of the Macquarie Point stadium, after the Premier failed to address the many issues of cost, site and project mismanagement raised in the Gruen...
ABC NEWS: Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff says it will be ‘a challenge’ for Hobart’s Macquarie Point stadium to be built on time
In short: The Premier Jeremy Rockliff has responded to a report that found costs of the proposed Hobart stadium have been underestimated and the timeline is unrealistic. Mr Rockliff says meeting the deadlines imposed by the AFL will be "a challenge" but that he would...
ABC NEWS: Peter Gutwein says ‘it’s obvious’ Hobart’s Macquarie Point AFL stadium won’t be ready on time
In short The man who introduced plans for a new AFL stadium in Hobart says "it's obvious" the timeline to have it ready by the start of the 2029 season won't be met. Peter Gutwein says any delay to the project would provide an opportunity for the state's north to host...
ABC NEWS: More cost breakdowns revealed for Hobart’s proposed Macquarie Point AFL stadium
In short: The ABC has obtained a more detailed cost estimate for the proposed Macquarie Point stadium, with newly released information showing a breakdown of $171 million over 30 years for maintenance and upkeep — on top of its construction cost. The information —...
Media Release: Our Place calls on Premier to come out from hiding
Our Place spokesperson, Roland Browne, has called on Premier Jeremy Rockliff to come out of hiding and face the music over the growing unanswered questions about Macquarie Point stadium in the wake of the Gruen Report. "Instead, he sent out former Sports Minister Jane...
Media Release: Our Place – Hobart calls for leadership response to Gruen Report on stadium cost
Our Place - Hobart has called on Premier Rockliff to show his face and to find some courage in the face of the Gruen report’s damning conclusions about the Mac Point stadium’s costs. Spokesperson Roland Browne said: “We need the Premier, or failing that, just one...
ABC NEWS: Hobart’s Macquarie Point stadium presents AFL with a harsh political reality – the negotiating table beckons
It was the power of Australia's biggest sporting organisation, against its smallest state. ... The AFL might need to start paying attention to the political problem it's created in Tasmania. That's because it's still not certain that the Macquarie Point stadium will...
ABC NEWS: Economist urges AFL, Tasmanian government to be realistic about Macquarie Point stadium costs and timeframes
In short: The author of a report into the proposed Macquarie Point stadium in Hobart has urged the state government and the AFL to be realistic about the project's costs and time frames. Dr Nicholas Gruen was commissioned by the government to review the financial...
Hobart Mercury: Dr Gruen: Tasmania’s AFL team shouldn’t come at any cost
The Mercury has published (outside its paywall) an opinion piece by Nicholas Gruen, the independent economist who was commissioned by the Tasmanian Government to conduct an independent review of the Macquarie Point Stadium proposal. The piece includes his...
ABC Radio Hobart: David Reilly with Nicholas Gruen
In discussion with David Reilly, Nicholas Gruen this morning outlined the background to and key findings of his 1 January 2025 report of his review of the proposed Mac Point stadium. The ABC has posted a brief excerpt from this interview but you can hear the full...
ABC NEWS VIDEO: Independent report damns proposed Hobart stadium
ABC NEWS posted two video stories on the day the Gruen Report was released. The headline text for each: 1. The report has found the budget had been underestimated by $300 million and the time frame for the stadium's construction is too tight. 2. An independent review...
ABC NEWS: Independent review of Hobart’s proposed Macquarie Point stadium flags ‘mismanagement’ and $1.1 billion cost
In short: A government-commissioned independent report into Hobart's proposed new stadium has found the costs of the project have been significantly underestimated and the benefits overestimated. Economist Nicholas Gruen's report has warned the project displays "the...