He’s Game: Miles makes Olympic shift from Palaszczuk plans

Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic Games will be overseen by an independent co-ordinating body, under one of incoming premier Steven Miles’ first policy shifts from his predecessor.

Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles (right) and treasurer Cameron Dick (left).Credit: Jono Searle

Under the premiership of leader Annastacia Palaszczuk, the co-ordination of the Games would have been within the Office of Premier and Cabinet.

But having secured his colleagues’ support to lead Queensland Labor and the state government, Miles said he was “convinced that having an independent delivery authority … for the delivery of Brisbane 2032 is the right way to go”.

“I’ve started talking to people with experience and expertise in that. I have discussed with [Brisbane] lord mayor [Adrian Schrinner], my director-general has raised it with the IOC [International Olympics Committee] and with the Brisbane 2032 team.”

Miles said work would continue after Labor’s caucus of 52 MPs decided to accept him and Treasurer Cameron Dick as their new leadership team.

“So we’ll start work just as soon as I get my feet under the desk on that initiative, among all of the others which I intend to outline to Queenslanders once the caucus has met on Friday,” he said.

Following Miles’ remarks, Schrinner posted on social media that the Games needed “to be beyond politics” and deliver lasting outcomes for the community.

Schrinner resigned from a key Olympics position earlier this month, citing frustration that planning had become bogged down in debate over venues and that regional transport issues were being downplayed.

He described a late afternoon phone hook-up with the Queensland government, in which it asked sports authorities and Brisbane City Council to collectively pay $90 million for an upgrade to the main oval at Brisbane Showgrounds, as extortion and a shake-down.

“It’s clear that the Games have become more about over-priced stadiums rather than the promise of vital transport solutions,” Schrinner said at the time.

“The state government’s ham-fisted and foolish attempt to extort Brisbane ratepayers for tens of millions of dollars for a new RNA stadium was the final straw.

“This truly bizarre approach was undertaken because I had the temerity to back local fans and say Brisbane teams should play in Brisbane while the Gabba is torn down and rebuilt.”

Sport and Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe, who announced that bid and is retiring before next year’s election, said he did not expect to be a minister in the Miles government.

The policy shift over Olympic planning comes as the Queensland and federal governments prepare to deliver their midyear budget updates in Brisbane and Canberra on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said the federal government’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook would include the $3.1 billion in extra funding for key roads and infrastructure in Queensland announced last month.

That figure included more than $2.5 billion to help Queensland meet infrastructure cost blowouts, as well as Queensland’s $600 million share of additional federal funding for roads that goes to local councils.

This followed heated debate last month between the federal and state governments after King announced 50 infrastructure projects would be axed nationwide to save more than $30 billion in cost overruns, including nine in Queensland.

The extra money would allow two level crossings – one on Brisbane’s northside at Carseldine and one on the southside at Acacia Ridge – plus strategic upgrades at Jindalee, Logan and Kuraby to proceed.

The Brisbane infrastructure and road projects to receive extra federal funds

• Beams Road level crossing Carseldine  - extra $6.24m confirmed, total fed share $56.24m
• Beenleigh Connection Road - extra $3m confirmed, total fed share to $7m.
• Acacia Ridge open level crossing at Boundary Road - extra $46.5m, total fed share to $179.5m
• Bribie Island Connection Road - extra $8.9m, total fed share to $28.95m
• Kuraby to Beenleigh rail duplication - extra $1.75b, takes extra federal share to $2.875bn
• Jindalee Centenary Bridge - extra $27.25m - takes full federal share to $139.25m
• Logan’s Chambers Flat Road - extra $1.56m - takes federal share to $12.86m
• Kippa Ring’s Klinger Road - extra $837,000 - takes federal share to $4.837m
• Loganlea’s Loganlea Road - extra $1.69m - takes federal share to $24.19m
• an extra $250 million has been allocated for general cost overruns

Selected major projects around Greater Brisbane

• Sunshine Coast Rail spur from Beerwah into Maroochydore, $160 million federal share for planning, $1.44 billion for construction 
• Pacific Motorway - Varsity Lakes to Tugun - extra $70m -  total federal share to $750m
• Bruce Highway - Brisbane to Caloundra section, several projects - total federal share $5.6b

Source: Federal Government’s Infrastructure Review November 27, 2023.