Brendon's Infrastructure Update

Members,

I have now been in the role of CEO of the Tasmania Football Club for a little over two months. During that time, I have been fortunate to travel across Tasmania meeting thousands of Tasmanians, as well as spending important time in Melbourne working on the build of our Club with the AFL. What I have been constantly reminded of is the importance of this Club, the task at hand and what this means to Tasmania.  

Over recent days there has been a lot of discussion around Macquarie Point Stadium. I cannot stress the importance of this infrastructure to our Club enough. Put simply, without it, we do not exist. But there is very sound reason for that, as the stadium will set us up for long-term success, an aspiration that we should all hold for our Club. I am committed to making sure this Club does not "make up the numbers" in the AFL, but instead, is a Club that we can all be proud of and aspire to be a part of both on and off the field. Tasmanians and our fans deserve that. The stadium is a critical ingredient to us achieving that.

As I have stated publicly, the Club supports the Tasmanian Government and the Project of State Significance process which is currently underway. These projects are complex and there are always varied views on them, that is ok and we should be comfortable for that is a part of the process. The Tasmania Football Club wholly believes in this project, not just for our Club, but for the many direct and indirect opportunities and benefits that it will create for Tasmania and Tasmanians.

Earlier this week the Tasmania Planning Commission published their draft Integrated Assessment Report for the Macquarie Point Stadium. We welcome the opportunity for parties to comment on the report. However, the Club holds concerns about some of the elements of the report, specifically in relation to the understated benefits that the stadium will deliver.  

One such example of impact we have already seen from the Club is a 40% increase in Auskick registrations across Tasmania since the launch of the Club last year, we are confident that this number will continue to compound and will create significant benefit for families, communities and clubs across the state for generations to come. We have also established the Tasmania Academy of Leadership and Sport with TasTafe alongside the Tasmania JackJumpers, Cricket Tasmania and Netball Tasmania. We currently have 55 students studying to achieve their dreams of working in off-field roles in the professional sports industry right here in Tasmania, jobs that simply would not exist without the introduction of our Club.

Further, the Tasmania Planning Commission has placed great reliance on the Gruen Report. The Tasmania Football Club has also reviewed this report and would also contest several of the assumptions that are relied upon in this report. We would welcome a full review of these assumptions to test their veracity. 

One thing that I have observed in my travels around the state and discussions with Tasmanians is that we do not yet fully understand the opportunity that this Club can create for this state. As a Club, we will continue to do the right thing and earn the trust of the Tasmanian community. This Club has the potential to be enormous for Tasmania, it will bring economic, social and cultural impact that we have not seen before. To achieve that though, we must invest, and we must be brave.  

I applaud the Tasmanian Government for continuing to work through this complex process, and I ask as Members that you all support the Government and the Club to see this through. It will be worth it, I can be very confident in that.

Best wishes,

Brendon