A day before an expected announcement of $240 million for a stadium at Hobart's Macquarie Point, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has put in $65 million for an upgrade for Launceston's York Park.
He visited the northern Tasmanian city on Friday afternoon to make the first announcement, which would provide for a new entertainment precinct, dining, player facilities and an improved eastern stand.
The ground is expected to host up to six games per season if Tasmania receives an AFL licence — four home games for the Tasmanian team, and possibly two for Hawthorn.
The Macquarie Point stadium — which the AFL considers essential for the Tasmanian licence bid — would host the remaining seven games. Bellerive Oval, also in Hobart, would not host AFL matches.
Saturday's expected additional announcement would take the Commonwealth's new contribution to stadia in Tasmania to $305 million in the upcoming federal budget.
Mr Albanese said it was not a matter of diverting funds away from other areas like housing and health.
"One of the things that a sporting precinct does is it brings economic activity, that generates revenue, that generates taxpayer dollars, that then goes back into — can be put into — other services," he said.
"It's not a matter of either-or. It's a matter of, does this stack up economically? Does it stack up socially? Does it stack up environmentally? My answer to that is yes, that's why the federal government is backing this proposal."
The York Park upgrades have been on the table since 2021, divided into stages. The Commonwealth-funded part would be the second stage, with the third unfunded portion to include an NBL-standard basketball arena alongside the football stadium.
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said it was pleasing to see the state and Commonwealth governments working together on infrastructure projects in Tasmania.
"It's fantastic that we can now plan, work with stakeholders on stage 2 with that $130 million commitment," he said.
Hobart stadium inflames north-south rivalry
The Tasmanian government's decision to push for a new $715 million stadium at Macquarie Point has generated significant opposition, and ended the tripartisan support for the state's own AFL team, with the Greens withdrawing.
State Labor remains supportive of the AFL bid, but not the Macquarie Point stadium.
Labor leader Rebecca White was not at the Launceston announcement but said she supported the York Park upgrades.
"We have two perfectly good stadiums that already have AFL content game here, and we should be able to support an AFL team for Tassie to play out of those stadiums," Ms White said.
"An upgrade to York Park is a much more sensible investment than building a brand new stadium in Hobart."
The Macquarie Point plans had also intensified Tasmania's north-south rivalry, with fears in Launceston that it would cause the city to lose games to Hobart.
York Park sits in the marginal electorate of Bass held by Liberal Bridget Archer by 1.4 per cent, whereas Macquarie Point is in the safe seat of Clark, held by independent Andrew Wilkie.
Ms Archer said she wanted to see more funding for community infrastructure, in addition to the York Park announcement.
"While I always welcome investment in the north, and wholeheartedly support an AFL team for Tasmania, stadium funding should not come at the incredible cost of failing to support the many needs of our local community, including local sporting infrastructure, health and housing," she said.
AFL announcement imminent
The Tasmanian government has repeatedly claimed the Macquarie Point stadium was not essential for the AFL bid, and should be considered separate from the bid.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan last year said the stadium was a crucial part.
But on Friday, he told Melbourne radio station 3AW on Friday that the AFL was not involved in the stadium decision.
"It's a stadium that will be owned by the government of Tasmania, built in Hobart, it is a multipurpose precinct. It's about urban development, it's about a whole series of things … it's got nothing to do with us," Mr McLachlan said.
"Then we bring games and content, and tourism.
"It's not our stadium. We are going to pay to play there, plus we are putting our money into an asset owned by somebody else."
The Victorian government has also promised $225 million for Docklands Stadium, which is owned by the AFL.
