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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
During the campaign for the July state election both major parties pledged to help the club.<\/p>\n
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”.<\/p>\n
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The North Launceston Football Club has been displaced from its York Park stadium home due to proposed upgrades. (Supplied)<\/p>\n
Shortly after, Mr Hall stood up with then-Labor leader Dean Winter who promised to keep the club at York Park if re-elected.<\/p>\n
It turns out that media conference might have cost the club $100,000 in funding.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“You provided an alternative to him and on the basis of that I chose not to sign my letter.”<\/p>\n
Mr Winter: “So, because I did media the North Launceston Football Club does not get the $100,000 to secure its future?”<\/p>\n
Mr Duigan: “No, no. As I’ve said, we’ll make sure there’s a long-term future for North Launceston.”<\/p>\n
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.”<\/p>\n
Mr Duigan: “I haven’t signed that letter.”<\/p>\n
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Dean Winter questioned Mr Duigan with “you just linked those two things”. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)<\/p>\n
Club president unaware of funding loss<\/p>\n
Club president Adrian Hall was unaware until Monday that the government’s funding offer had been withdrawn.<\/p>\n