Hobart’s planned new stadium: a sad case of pleasing policy elites rather than public opinion

Why does the AFL host games in Darwin and Alice Springs given their limited capacities and facilities with capacities of 12,500 and 7,500?

Will the AFL be insisting that Canberra also build a new and expensive stadium if it is to host an AFL team, despite Manuka Oval also improving its facilities over the years in line with existing demand (now 16,000 capacity).

Sure, down the track, both the existing Hobart and Launceston stadiums would also need to be upgraded, and perhaps a new stadium warranted in time due to growing demand or logistic reasons.

For myself, it is has been wrong for policy elites to aid the AFL's demand for a new stadium, especially in light of a lack of public support by most Tasmanians.

In these tougher economic times, it would be much wiser for policy elites to consider supporting proposals to develop old and new stadiums in line with existing public demand rather than insist on a shiny new stadium simply for the hell of it, one where a very expensive stadium may only host seven AFL home matches per year as long as Launceston rightfully remains in the AFL equation.