TASMANIA’S parliament has passed a no-confidence motion in Premier Jeremy Rockliff, setting the stage for the fourth state election in seven years that the Tasmania Devils CEO says could put the club’s AFL licence at risk.
The motion brought by Labor leader Dean Winter passed by the barest margin on Thursday, with Labor speaker Michelle O’Byrne casting a deciding vote.
Liberal MPs yelled out “weak” as the house divided for the vote.
It was not immediately clear whether Mr Rockliff would head to Government House to advise officials to dissolve parliament and head to an election.
A concept design of how the stadium and associated developments might look. Picture: Macquarie Point Development Corporation.
An election could delay the building of the contentious new stadium at Macquarie Point in Hobart, a condition of the Devils’ entry into the AFL.
Earlier on Thursday, Devils chief executive Brendon Gale conceded another election would cast further doubt on the timing of the stadium’s construction.
“An election would certainly put the full formation of the team and the issuance of a licence at risk,” Gale said.
Labor supports the team and a stadium, a position they reiterated on Wednesday in writing to the AFL.
But the Devils fear an early election would delay the stadium project.
Tasmania CEO Brendon Gale. Pictures: AFL Photos
Tasmania went to the polls just 15 months ago, in an election which returned the Liberals to power in minority with just 14 of 35 seats in the lower house.
Gale insisted the Devils would provide multiple benefits to Tasmania for generations, including unquantifiable social impact.
“In a state like Tasmania where there’s some structural challenges and negative population growth, and slow economic growth, this will be an economic, social, cultural flywheel, which will endure and unlock benefits for generations, for kids and grandkids and for the future” Gale said.
“All things considered, I absolutely believe this is an investment worth making.”
