Brisbane’s labour shortage will drive a faster rise in construction costs than Sydney and Melbourne over the next four years, forcing the state government to allow private groups to fund and operate assets such as a new Olympic stadium, consultancy Arcadis says.

With less than eight years until the start of the 2032 Games that the city was awarded in mid-2021, authorities have yet to make key decisions on whether to build facilities or upgrade existing ones for flagship events such as the opening and closing ceremonies, athletics and aquatics.