Kennett slams $200,000 AFL Aurora Stadium funding

Launceston City Council general manager Frank Dixon said he was "delighted" that full funding had finally been secured for the $7 million project, but both Hawthorn and the State Government expressed a desire to see more AFL funding for the venue.

Hawks president Jeff Kennett, who launched several stunning attacks on the AFL's attitude towards Tasmania before announcing a $300,000 contribution from the club in August, admitted that he thought Hawthorn had subsidised the league over the redevelopment.

"I was furious about the delay and lack of willingness and conditions," he said yesterday.

"This is part of the blindness of the AFL in not appreciating how strongly Tasmanians feel about the AFL.

"We may have let them off the hook a bit but if we had not we may not have got anything from them."

Mr Kennett said the significant difference between the AFL's original offer and the latest one was that there were no conditions attached.

"I'm just grateful that we've got some contribution. I would have liked it to have been more so that Hawthorn did not have to put it up."

The saga began in April when all major stakeholders visited the stadium and Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese pledged $4 million.

Nearly three months later, Mr Kennett revealed that Sports Minister Michelle O'Byrne had talked AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan out of announcing a contribution of $200,000 because he would be "laughed out of town".

In August, when an AFL offer was still not forthcoming, Mr Kennett announced Hawthorn's $300,000 contribution.

In a stunning attack on the league, he said: "They are drowning in money and they just need to give Tasmania a bigger slice of the cake."

Three months later the AFL has reverted back to its original offer, taking its overall contribution to $800,000 for an AFL venue that has cost in the vicinity of $30 million.

This compares with multimillion-dollar support of potential venues on the Gold Coast and in Western Sydney.

The AFL declined to comment further yesterday but Ms O'Byrne said the State Government had consistently said that the league should take a greater role in providing funding for the venue.

"This $200,000 commitment is welcome as it allows this important redevelopment to proceed fully," she said.

"But I believe that considering the AFL's funding of facilities in other parts of the country, the AFL should be prepared to provide further funding for Aurora Stadium into the future."

Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten welcomed the contribution, which would enable the completion of a project to provide an additional 2125 seats, 16 corporate suites and major improvements to Invermay Park.

Work has already begun on the project with the old heritage stand being dismantled so it can be relocated to Invermay Park.

The redevelopment is expected to be completed by December 2010.