Tasmanian Sports Minister Nick Duigan has admitted he reneged on plans to give North Launceston Football Club (NLFC) $100,000 after the club president attended a media conference with Labor.
The football club is based at York Park in Launceston, but a $130 million upgrade planned for the stadium does not include facilities for the team.
The North Launceston Football Club has been displaced from its York Park stadium home due to proposed upgrades, visualised in this concept image. (Supplied)
During the campaign for the July state election both major parties pledged to help the club.
The Liberals wrote to club president Adrian Hall to tell him that a “re-elected Tasmanian Liberal Government will commit $100,000 to enable design and planning work to be undertaken around a proposed new facility for NLFC”.
Shortly after, Mr Hall stood up with then-Labor leader Dean Winter who promised to keep the club at York Park if re-elected.
Adrian Hall sought bipartisan support for the club. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
It turns out that media conference might have cost the club $100,000 in funding.
At a parliamentary scrutiny committee Mr Duigan revealed the letter sent was only a draft and he had no intention of following it up with a final signed copy.
Mr Duigan: “I believe Mr Hall, shortly after I’ve sent him that letter, went out and stood next to you,” Mr Duigan said referring to Mr Winter.
“You provided an alternative to him and on the basis of that I chose not to sign my letter.”
Mr Winter: “So, because I did media the North Launceston Football Club does not get the $100,000 to secure its future?”
Mr Duigan: “No, no. As I’ve said, we’ll make sure there’s a long-term future for North Launceston.”
Mr Winter: “You just linked those two things. So, Mr Hall went and endorsed Labor’s policy and so because of that the draft letter was never signed and they don’t have $100,000.”
Mr Duigan: “I haven’t signed that letter.”
Dean Winter questioned Mr Duigan with “you just linked those two things”. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
Club president unaware of funding loss
Club president Adrian Hall was unaware until Monday that the government’s funding offer had been withdrawn.
New stand for footy fans, but more money needed
“I’ve been chasing up a signature ever since the election,” he said.
Mr Hall told the ABC he had been given no formal indication that the offer would not be fulfilled.
“I’ve done my job by seeking bipartisan support,” he said.
“You’d like to think if someone makes a commitment and shakes your hand it’d be honoured.”
Mr Duigan later told the committee that “for clarity” it was not his office that sent the letter.
“I think it was probably an election campaign circumstance,” he said.
Mr Hall said he expected the offer to “be honoured”. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
The ABC has seen the letter. It was sent from a Liberal campaign staffer who is now Mr Duigan’s chief of staff.
The sports minister also said he did not have a funding request from the club in front of him to progress, but the “work goes on” to find a solution.
Mr Duigan: “There’s nothing come across my desk in terms of a representation from North [NLFC] about funding from the government.”
Mr Winter: “I think it’s pretty clear what they want.”
Mr Duigan: “That was my offer to them.”
Mr Winter: “Then you withdrew the offer.”
Mr Duigan: “No, no I think they chose a different path.”
Mr Duigan said he would “make sure North Launceston have a home”.
York Park stadium officially opened in 1921. A renovation is underway. (Austadiums.com)