- Jacqui Lambie called on Tasmania to abandon plans for a new stadium
- New AFL team depends on new stadium being built
- But Ms Lambie says the funds could be better spent elsewhere.
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Jacqui Lambie has launched a challenge to AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon during an explosive appearance on Monday night’s The Project.
Senator Lambie has shared her thoughts on Tasmania’s new AFL team following the unveiling of her team name – The Devils – as well as its logo and colours.
Although Ms Lambie supports a new Tasmanian franchise in the AFL, she is strongly opposed to the construction of a new 23,000-seat stadium, which will cost the Tasmanian government around $375 million. State.
The launch of the new team depends on the stadium being built, but Ms Lambie says the money could be better spent elsewhere.
“It’s great that we finally have an AFL team. There’s no doubt about that.” I have made it very clear that all Tasmanians want an AFL team there, we have done that for many years,” she began.
Jacqui Lambie exploded over plans to build a new stadium in Tasmania
She called a question from Sarah Harris “rubbish” on Monday night.
“But what we can’t do and can’t afford is a brand new stadium with a roof. I have guys living in tents that barely have a roof over their head, so I think Tasmanians have almost had enough.
“The lack of transparency, we have a surge in our hospitals, we have children not getting past grade 10 in education, it’s decreasing even more. We have a lot of problems in Tasmania at the moment and what ‘she can’t afford, it’s a brand new stadium with a roof.
When host Sarah Harris explained to her that the new stadium would create thousands of new jobs and that its cost would be capped at $375 million, Ms Lambie burst out.
‘It makes no sense! Ok, you can go ahead and believe everything the Tasmanian Liberals tell you. They would have sold it from day one and they would have been extremely transparent.
“It came from the left of the field, it was thrown at Tasmanians. Nobody talked about a stadium. Next thing (you know) we’ll have a stadium with a roof there.
“No other state in Australia has been asked to put a roof on a stadium. I mean, it’s just absolutely astonishing.
Ms Lambie is a supporter of a new Tasmanian AFL team but doesn’t want the stadium
She argues there are more important things that require funding rather than the stadium
“If Andrew Dillon wanted to talk about what it’s like in Tasmania, hey mate I’ll put you up for a few weeks, come take a look in my garden on the northwest coast and maybe you’ll get a damn check reality, mate. because we can’t afford it in Tasmania. That’s it. End of story.
“We would love one, I can tell you that, but I’m telling you we’re not as rich as Western Australia, we don’t have all this resource money coming our way.” We have so many problems in Tasmania where they have to take priority over a stadium. It’s that simple.’
A reluctant Waleed Aly argued the huge cost could be seen as an investment that would bring in more funds for the state, something Ms Lambie disagreed with.
Then, when asked if she would be prepared to allow Tasmania to lose the new AFL team license if the stadium plans failed, she challenged Dillon.
“I say to Tasmanians: we are standing firm and you even dare try to take this team away from us. Go ahead, I dare you.
“But I challenge Andrew Dillon and his leadership to get on the ground in Tasmania and face the reality of how difficult and struggling people are there right now.”
“Throwing a stadium in their face with little transparency behind it is a joke in itself.”