The announcement of a shortlist of potential sites for a future AFL high performance centre is welcome news – but given the Liberals’ disastrous delivery record, questions still remain about Jeremy Rockliff’s ability to meet his promises on time and on budget.
The Rockliff Government has committed to practical completion of the high-performance centre by 31 December 2025.
If the Liberals are serious about meeting the strict requirements they have signed up to with the AFL and not being liable for millions of dollars of cost overruns and penalties, they really need to get on with the job.
The Premier’s AFL deal stipulates that the Tasmanian Government will:
- provide no less than $40 million of funding towards the facility, and;
- if additional funds are required to meet the originally designed specification of the TA Facility, then the Tasmanian Government will ultimately be responsible for the financial risk of any additional costs…
- AFL/Tasmanian Government Club Funding and Development Agreement, 20.1 (p21)
Under the deal signed by the Premier, the AFL retains the right to tear up the AFL Licence Agreement if an independent certifier does not certify that the TA Facility has been built to the strict requirements demanded by the AFL. (AFL/Tasmanian Government Club Funding and Development Agreement, 20.1)
Over the last ten years the Liberals have consistently failed to deliver the infrastructure they have promised, and the projects they have acted on are coming in late and way over budget.
It would hardly surprise if the high performance centre was to join a long list of over-budget and behind-time projects which has recently included the Brighton Highschool, the TAFE plumbing centre in Warrane and the Glenorchy Ambulance Station.
Josh Willie MLC
Shadow Minister for Sport
