Overview
- The Tasmanian Planning Commission panel defended its independence at a parliamentary hearing, saying its findings relied on government data assessed through expert judgment.
- After the estimate rose to $1.13 billion from $945 million, the panel said the previously calculated cost‑benefit ratio of 0.45 has likely fallen, with earlier estimates including KPMG at 0.69 and economist Nicholas Gruen at 0.44.
- Funding pledges of $375 million from the state, $240 million from the Commonwealth for the precinct, and $15 million from the AFL leave an estimated $490 million gap for borrowing.
- The panel projected construction-related debt could reach about $1.8 billion over ten years, warning higher borrowing costs and recent credit downgrades to A‑A‑2 by Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s would deepen fiscal risks.
- Upper house independents Bec Thomas and Dean Harriss hold pivotal votes on December 3–4 as the Premier and Prime Minister press for approval, with the AFL entry deal contingent on the stadium and ongoing protests highlighting planning and cultural concerns.