AFL stadium approval debate to begin in earnest

Debate is set to begin on an order to green light a contentious stadium attached to a state's AFL dream.

Construction of the proposed roofed Macquarie Point stadium in Hobart is a condition of the Tasmania Devils entering the AFL and AFLW in 2028.

The stadium has split the community and drawn political battlelines amid rising budget debt and criticism the $1.13 billion venue is not the right priority.

It is required to pass both houses of parliament, with debate on an order for approval set to begin in the lower house on Thursday.

With support of Tasmania's governing minority Liberals and Labor opposition, the stadium has the numbers to pass the lower house despite crossbench opposition.

It faces a far trickier path in the upper house in December, with a handful of undecided independent MPs set to decide whether it gets the tick.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff, who signed the licence contract with the AFL, said the stadium would be huge for the state and MPs should be responsible with their vote.

"By all means scrutinise, but make sure that we do not lose this opportunity. This is an opportunity we cannot afford to lose," he told parliament on Wednesday.

The state's planning commission recently recommended the project not go ahead because its costs outweighed the benefits and it was not the right fit for the waterfront heritage area.

The government has championed the stadium as an economic driver and believes some of its social benefits can't be quantified.

The AFL has maintained a "no stadium, no team" mantra and has said the deal can't be negotiated.

Upper house independents Dean Harriss and Bec Thomas, whose votes appear crucial in determining whether the stadium passes, on Tuesday raised concerns about its cost.

Despite the political turmoil, the Devils have pushed on with building a club and have started training for entry in the second-tier VFL in 2026.

The government faces financial penalties if the stadium is not ready by the club's second season in 2029.

Anti-stadium and pro-stadium rallies have been planned in the weeks before the upper house vote.