Angry Jacqui Lambie leads thousands in protest against AFL stadium proposal: ‘Stab it in your ass!’
- Jacqui Lambie protested the $715 million AFL stadium
- Thousands of people showed up at the protest
- Concerns about the state’s other pressing problems
The Tasmanian Prime Minister has been told by fiery Senator Jacqui Lambie to shove plans for an AFL stadium up his ass as thousands rallied against the controversial project.
A large crowd came to the state legislature on Saturday to voice their opposition to the $715 million stadium project crucial to the state’s entry into the AFL, a day after the project brought the Rockliff government to its knees.
Australia’s only Liberal government was pushed into minority status on Friday after two MPs resigned, citing public debt concerns and government transparency around planned construction on the edge of Hobart’s CBD.
Those issues were echoed at a rally outside the state legislature on Saturday, when thousands gathered with signs like, “Team yes, stadium number.” Tell the AFL where to go!” and “We can’t eat stadiums or submarines.”
“You can stick your stadium up your ass,” musicians sang to applause.
Senator Jacqui Lambie told the crowd that Prime Minister Jeremy Rockliff could ‘stick it in your ass’ regarding the stadium proposal
Senator Jacqui Lambie soon joined in, telling Prime Minister Jeremy Rockliff, “Tasmanians have had a damn gut about your stadium and you can stick it up your ass.”
Federal Independent MP Andrew Wilkie addressed the rally, having previously told parliament that the 23,000-seat arena would look “at best like a monument to stupidity, at worst like a giant bedpan.”
Tasmania’s Labor opposition, meanwhile, objected to the AFL making the stadium a condition for Tasmania to obtain a team’s license to join the league.
The state will enter the men’s league in 2028 and a path to the women’s league is announced.
“We all know that a Tassie team is well deserved and should have been awarded without a stadium,” opposition leader Rebecca White said in a statement.
“But what should have been a bonding moment for Tasmania has been ruined by Jeremy Rockliff’s reckless decision to write a blank check for a stadium we don’t need.”
It was now up to Mr Rockliff to regain the trust of Tasmanians by providing full transparency on the AFL stadium deal, Independent MP Meg Webb said.
“They have arrogantly dismissed the concerns, questions and warnings of many Tasmanians from all walks of life about this issue,” she said.
Thousands of Tasmanians have voiced their opposition to a $715 million AFL stadium
The loss of the two MPs means the Tasmanian Liberals retain 11 of the 25 seats in the House of Representatives. They need the support of two of the six crossbenchers to pass legislation.
“I am extremely disappointed, but I will continue my work,” the prime minister told reporters on Friday.
“People may not always agree with what we do, but we do it for the right reasons.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, defending the stadium, said plans to upgrade the Macquarie Point site date back to at least 2012 when he was infrastructure minister under Julia Gillard.
“This site has been empty for too long.”
