Northern Tasmanians must be feeling abandoned and shocked by the Greens Budget Reply pledge to immediately end sponsorship of Hawthorn games in Launceston and V8 Supercars at Symmons Plains.
Greens Bass member Andrea Dawkins has clearly been rolled by her Southern boss Cassy O’Connor who wants everything spent in Hobart.
Ms Dawkins obviously has no ability to delivery on any of the promises she makes for Bass.
When Ms Dawkins came into Parliament in June last year she stated:
“The presence of Hawthorn and other AFL teams in Launceston during the winter months are of utmost importance to many local businesses who rely on the influx of supporters from around the State and the mainland to patronise their goods and services during the ‘slow’ season.”
Then on June 18 last year Ms Dawkins called on Premier Will Hodgman:
“To negotiate the best possible deal with the club, securing at least four premiership season games at Aurora Stadium each year.’’
The Hodgman Liberal Government secured the Hawthorn games in Launceston until 2021 – a relationship that is estimated to create $30 million of economic activity each year.
Additionally, the V8 Supercars – the most highly attended sports event in Tasmania – were also signed up until 2019 because of the tourism and marketing value of these big national events.
Everybody knows that Northern Tasmania hotels, restaurants and businesses boom when these events are being held and they underpin our tourism industry at non-peak periods.
The Greens, and especially the powerless Bass member Andrea Dawkins, obviously don’t care or don’t understand what keeps job creation and the economy stimulated.
The Liberal members for Bass have all been on the public record advocating for the continuation of the Hawthorn and V8 Supercars relationships because they supports jobs and the economy and the Government’s goal of attracting 1.5 million visitors by 2020.
Ms Dawkins, on the other hand, has failed jobs, failed the economy, failed the tourism industry and failed Bass.