Fiery moment Jacqui Lambie bursts out about Tasmania’s new AFL team in tense exchange with The Project’s Sarah Harris: ‘That’s rubbish!’

Jacqui Lambie has challenged AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon in an explosive performance on Monday night’s The Project.

Senator Lambie shared her thoughts on Tasmania’s new AFL team after unveiling the team name – The Devils – as well as the logo and colours.

While Ms Lambie is in favor of a new franchise originating from Tasmania in the AFL, she is strongly opposed to the construction of a new 23,000-seat stadium, which will cost the state government about $375 million.

The launch of the new team depends on the stadium being built, but Ms Lambie says the money would be better spent elsewhere.

“It’s great that we finally have an AFL team. There’s no doubt about that. I have made it very clear that all Tasmanians want an AFL team there, we have done that for years,” she began.

She labeled a question from Sarah Harris as ‘nonsense’ on Monday evening

“But what we can’t do and what we can’t afford is a brand new stadium with a roof on it. I’ve got guys living in tents with barely a roof over their heads, so I think Tasmanians have about had enough of this.

‘The lack of transparency, we have an increase in our hospitals, we have children who don’t go beyond group 10 of education, that goes down even further. There are a lot of problems in Tasmania at the moment and what it can’t afford is a brand new stadium with a roof over it.”

When host Sarah Harris told her the new stadium will create thousands of new jobs and have a maximum cost of $375 million, Ms Lambie exploded.

‘That’s nonsense! Okay, you can start believing what Tasmania’s Liberals tell you. They would have sold it from day one and they would have been extremely transparent.

“This came from the left of the field and was thrown at Tasmanians. Nobody said anything about a stadium. Next thing [you know] we have a stadium there with a roof.

‘No other state in Australia has been asked to roof a stadium. I mean, this is just absolutely amazing.

Ms Lambie is a supporter of a new AFL team from Tasmania but doesn’t want the stadium

She states that there are more important things that need financing than the stadium

‘If Andrew Dillon wants to tell you what it’s like in Tasmania, hey mate, I’ll lock you up for a few weeks, come have a look in my backyard on the North West Coast and maybe you’ll get a bloody reality check, mate ’cause we’re in Tasmania can’t afford. That is it. End of story.

“We’d love to have one, I can tell you that, but I’m telling you we’re not as rich as Western Australia, we don’t have all that money coming in. There are so many issues in Tasmania where they should be prioritized over a stadium. It’s that simple.’

Waleed Aly argued that the huge costs could be seen as an investment that will make the state more money, which Ms Lambie disagrees with.

When then asked if she would be willing to see Tasmania lose its new AFL team license if the stadium plans fail, she challenged Dillon.

“I say to Tasmanians: we remain steadfast and you dare even try to take this team away from us. Go on, I challenge you.

‘But I challenge Andrew Dillon and his executives to come to Tasmania and do a reality check about how hard and difficult people are doing there at the moment.

“Throwing a stadium in their face with little transparency behind it is a joke in itself.”