Government imposed limits on Tasmanian stadium capacity have been a polarising point throughout the COVID pandemic, but that is about to change.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
At one stage early on in the pandemic competitive sport was completely halted in Tasmania before crowds of just 500 were permitted by June, now that number could return to the days of packed out stadiums and rise as high as about 20,000.
State Premier Peter Gutwein on Tuesday announced the caps would be removed, based on advice offered to him by the Public Health Department.
"Our major stadiums, we've now moved from a 10,000 cap to the full seated capacity," he said.
Mr Gutwein batted away inferences the changing of the cap was made to beef up an application for the state to host an Ashes cricket test match.
"This is driven by Public Health advice. All of our [Public Health] directions are being reviewed," he said.
"Tasmania has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country ... So we've got a much safer community and Public Health will continue to consider and review their directions as we move forward.
Launceston's UTAS Stadium held landmark AFL finals for the first time at restricted capacity, while Hobart's Blundstone Arena was subject to the restrictions.
Mr Gutwein said a spectacle at Blundstone Arena would now have the capacity to host about 14,000.
The move came eight days before Tasmania's hard border with other states was due to be lifted in line with a government COVID reopening plan.
What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor: