STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator LAMBIE (Tasmania) (13:52): I've had a problem with the Macquarie Point Stadium since day one. Don't get me wrong; like most Tasmanians, I love my footy. But we already have two perfectly great stadiums, and the one up in my neck of the woods just got a $130 million face lift.

When this stadium was first announced, we were told it was only going to cost $750 million and 'not one red cent more'. Anyone with half a brain knew where we were heading. Of course it was going to cost us more.

Suddenly we're not talking $750 million any more. We're now talking nearly $1 billion. Back in May, the Tasmanian parliament passed a motion ordering the Liberal government to provide updated stadium costings to the house by August.

The motion passed. Now we're in September, and guess what. Crickets.

The head of the Macquarie Point Development Corporation wrote to the Premier and said, 'Please don't tell the Tasmanian people how much it's costing, because it might affect our tender.' BS. A Ucomm survey released today shows that 70 per cent of Tasmanians want to see full costings on Macquarie Point Stadium. Only 31 per cent agreed that the Tasmanian Liberal government had handled the issue of stadium build well.

So the Premier has ignored the parliament and is completely ignoring the Tasmanian people, because he still won't release the costs. If the costs have gone up, it's simple: tell Tasmanians. If they haven't, then yippee!

Release the figures. It's really that simple. The true cost of the stadium won't just be in the building costs; we are going to be paying back interest too, and, if the stadium isn't ready by 2028, Tasmanian taxpayers, guess what.

You will pay a penalty of nearly $5 million to the Tasmania Football Club. Go wear that today! We've just had one of the biggest slash-and-burn budgets Tasmania has seen in years. 1,700 jobs have been cut across the public sector.

Health workers are losing their jobs. Health programs are being cut. I say this to Tasmanians who want this stadium: I hope your stadium is worth it with its gold plated roof.

I hope it's worth it. I really do, because, quite frankly, that's what's taking from your health system. Wake up.