By: BRETT STUBBS
THE President of the Australian Senate, Tasmanian Liberal senator Paul Calvert, has reignited the Bellerive-AFL games debate, saying the stadium is under-utilised and blasting the State Government yesterday.
The Government has refused to underwrite any games at Bellerive Oval, insisting games only be played at Launceston's Aurora Stadium, a move backed by the AFL.
But at yesterday's announcement of a $300,000 Federal Government grant to build a gymnasium and rehabilitation centre under Bellerive's southern stand, Senator Calvert launched into the Tasmanian Government.
"There is strong local support, from business and community, to see AFL games at Bellerive,'' he said.
"Let's hope that one day, the single-mindedness of the current State Government will change and we will see their support for some AFL games in our capital city, sooner rather than later.''
Senator Calvert said 30 per cent of the crowds in Launceston were made up of Southerners.
"But the ones who are missing out are the young people,'' he said.
"They can't always manage to get up to Launceston to see an AFL game.
"Even a practice game or something down here would give them that little bit of extra encouragement to see their sporting heroes, and what better place than to do it here at Bellerive.''
Senator Calvert said that the State Government had an excellent opportunity to host a game in Hobart if Tasmania received an extra game next year because of a date clash between the start of the 2006 AFL season and the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Tasmanian Sport and Recreation Minister Jim Cox said Senator Calvert's comments exposed a split between the State and Federal Liberals after the state party supported Aurora Stadium.
He said the Liberals were backsliding on their commitment and Senator Calvert did not understand the situation.
"The fact is that it was the AFL which decided that York Park [Aurora Stadium] was best-suited to be the sole Tasmanian base for AFL matches,'' Mr Cox said.
"It's disappointing, but hardly surprising, to see Senator Calvert and the Liberals knocking what has become a great icon of Tasmanian sport.
"They'd obviously rather carp and whinge than support an initiative that is reaping huge dividends for Tasmania.''
TCA chief executive David Johnston was more diplomatic when asked if the TCA shared Senator Calvert's views. "Obviously AFL is something we would love to have, but the Government has made a decision to keep that in the north of the state, which we understand,'' Johnston said. He said the gym and rehabilitation facilities should be completed by July.
Last Modified on 18/05/2005 10:19