Motion: Macquarie Point Stadium Costs
Ms BURNET (Clark) - Thank you, honourable Speaker, and I thank Mr Bayley for bringing this motion to the House. Whilst I'm a member for Clark, and we've heard from other Members for Clark, for and against this motion, it's not just as a member for Clark, but it's actually as someone having a deep respect for people right across Tasmania who will miss out because of this stadium, and this stadium spend, and the lack of an upper limit on expenditure on this stadium that is deeply concerning in relation to this project.
I support the motion, at least in the majority of its sentiment, because it asks the government to be transparent about taxpayers' money and to be honest with the Tasmanian people. We're talking about a project worth billions of dollars, honourable Speaker. We don't know the amount - part of the problem, of course, is that we have no idea how much this stadium will cost.
We should be concerned, very concerned about the mega cost associated with this mega project and the mega lost opportunities for Tasmanians - for those health building upgrades, for road infrastructure, and for education facilities. Education facilities right across this state are in appalling condition and they are being upgraded piece by piece, but there is so much that needs to be done. This is an education environment, a proper educational environment that is suitable for our children, Tasmanian children to thrive in suitable learning conditions. For every millions of dollars spent on the stadium - and again, we don't know that figure because it's not being revealed - there is that educational lost opportunity for the children of Tasmania. For any expenditure of public money, we should all have transparency over that. But there's very little when it comes to the Macquarie Point stadium.
Yesterday, the Chair of the Public Works Committee tabled the Macquarie Point Northern Access Road project, and that wasn't a project that I could support. I have written a dissenting report because I cannot see how a project such as this which is already going up it's just a prime example, it's a project which is effectively an enabling project to deliver this stadium. And already the budgeted cost of $74.3 million has already gone up to $78.242 million. And then there are enabling projects that haven't been funded for this enabling project. The connections to the Tasman Highway will rely on taxpayer money. In this case the proponents for that project will be going to the federal government to try and get some money out of them. It seems to be a never-ending spend. It seems that taxpayer's monies, no matter where it comes from, is there to spend on this vanity project. We have no upper limit for this stadium enabling project, as I said.
There are concerns that I also have in relation to some of the comments by the minister for Macquarie Point stadium and the honourable member for Clark, Mr Vermey, talking about the great projects for apprentices, and there was much fanfare in relation to this, but actually I think apprentices would be far better doing their apprenticeship on building houses for Tasmanians. Another opportunity loss that we see because of this project and projects such as this.
This motion - and it's a shame that that Labor will not be supporting this motion and that's been ventilated by various members who've spoken already. It's a shame, because it would be much stronger if there was that support from the opposition in relation to proper scrutiny of such a project. I support the motion, provide general support -
Mr Winter - Would you have released a cost estimate during a live tender process when you were deputy lord mayor of Hobart?
The SPEAKER - Order, honorable member for Franklin, Mr Winter.
Ms BURNET - I thank Mr Bayley for bringing it to this house, but let's remember that millions of dollars will be ripped away from infrastructure projects to fund this stadium.