"To start something down South I think should not impact up North and I personally think it can be done. I've seen Cricket Tasmania's business case and on the face of it it looks good.'' _ ERIC ABETZ IN THE MERCURY ON TUESDAY, DISCUSSING A SECOND AFL TEAM
"We've got to be realistic. We have a 500,000 population and if the games are spread around too much it may become the case that it is not viable to have games in the North or South, so we've got to be careful.'' _ ERIC ABETZ DISCUSSING THE SAME ISSUE IN THE EXAMINER ON WEDNESDAY
HAWTHORN president Jeff Kennett has launched a stinging attack on Liberal Senator Eric Abetz, accusing him of having a "split personality'' over his "stupid'' comments on the Hawks' deal with the state government.
Mr Kennett implied the senator tailored his comments to the North or South of the state, depending on his audience.
"He is not just standing with his legs either side of a barbed-wire fence, he is sitting on it,'' Mr Kennett said.
And while unloading both barrels on his fellow Liberal, the former Victorian Premier heaped praise on the vision of his Labor Tasmanian counterpart Paul Lennon.
Mr Kennett was particularly offended by Senator Abetz's comment that Hawthorn had "ripped off'' Tasmania by signing to a $16.4 million five-year sponsorship deal with the state government.
"Hawthorn Football Club, through its branding as the Tassie Hawks and efforts on the mainland, have brought more investment to Tasmania in the last four years than
Senator Abetz has done in his entire lifetime,'' he said.
"To say he blames the state Labor government for not negotiating a more effective deal is a stupid comment made by an individual who has not looked at the return on that investment.
"It seems to me that Senator Abetz has a split personality. On one day he says he would not have done the deal with Hawthorn and believes Hawthorn ripped off the state government. The next day he has a new position where he supports football in the South
as long as it does not cannibalise the Hawthorn deal.
"Hawthorn never set out to _ and never would _ rip off the Tasmanian Government.
"Senator Abetz may be a giant in Tasmania but he is a pygmy on the mainland and politicians have got to think carefully about what they say and be consistent. He has
clearly illustrated that he makes comment without thought and reverses his position within 24 hours.''
Mr Kennett, who also confirmed that the renegotiation of the Hawks' Tasmanian deal had already begun, said the club worked with former Premier Lennon to "do something creative and outside the square'' that would bring employment and opportunity to Tasmania.
He said that deal had delivered economic benefits and employment well beyond the value of the contract.
"I stand shoulder to shoulder with Paul Lennon in having the capacity to think long-term and make an investment on behalf of the people of Tasmania that has been successful, and absolutely reject the claim that we ripped off the people of Tasmania,'' he said.
Mr Kennett said he would be happy to discuss the pros and cons of the deal with Senator Abetz.
But he added: "I would have thought that Tasmanians, regardless of their politics, would like to be led by courageous politicians with vision who are prepared to invest in the future rather than representatives like Senator Abetz who think small, are small and are inaccurate with it.
"We are very proud to be part of Tasmania both in Tasmania and on the mainland and challenge him to show what he has done to generate as much economic growth as the arrival to Tasmania of Hawthorn four years ago.''
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