On 17 May 2024, Minister Duigan, in his capacity as Acting Minister for Sport and Events, signed an agreement with Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, in which the Commonwealth Government committed $240 million towards the Macquarie Point Development. This funding represents a quarter of the current estimated cost of the project, recently updated by the government to $945 million.
As part of the agreement, Minister Duigan committed the Tasmanian Government to the delivery of housing at Macquarie Point—including a portion allocated to affordable, essential worker, or social housing. The agreement requires the Government to deliver a finalised Housing Plan—developed in consultation with the Commonwealth—which outlines how this housing will be delivered at the Macquarie Point site.
With just a month remaining until the deadline for that plan, the Government appears to be preoccupied with satisfying the planning requirements for the stadium component of the development, seemingly neglecting the Housing Plan. This is despite Tasmania facing a deepening housing crisis. A recent report from the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council ranked Tasmania as the second-worst performing jurisdiction in Australia in meeting housing targets under the National Housing Accord.
That’s why today, in question time, I asked Minister Duigan—who signed the agreement on behalf of the Government—to update the House on the status of the Housing Plan. I asked when it will be made public, whether the Government will meet the 30 June deadline, and what will happen to the $240 million if the commitment is not fulfilled.
Minister Duigan appeared perplexed and refused to answer, instead referring the question to Housing Minister Mr Ellis. Minister Ellis referred vaguely to the Fountain Side development, which is not even located at Macquarie Point. He failed to provide any detail on the Housing Plan. This leaves a reasonable assumption that there is no such plan—and likely no space allocated for housing—especially given the Government’s intention to sell off land at Macquarie Point to repay additional debt. That debt is being incurred due to the lack of private sector investment in what is fast becoming a financial white elephant.
I will be writing to Minister Catherine King and the Prime Minister to seek urgent clarification on the status of this agreement. During the recent federal election campaign, the Federal Labor Government went to great lengths to distance itself from this deeply unpopular project. Yet the
Tasmanian Government appears to be under the false impression that the Commonwealth’s $240 million is “money in the bank.” That is far from the truth. The first payment of $80 million is due in the coming financial year.
One would think the Premier would be doing everything in his power to satisfy the Commonwealth’s requirements to secure this $240 million—particularly when it involves delivering desperately needed housing for the people of Tasmania, and when the stadium’s projected cost is rapidly approaching the billion-dollar mark.