Greens councillor claims LNP ‘cabal’ plotting to build Victoria Park stadium

A Greens councillor has sensationally accused an LNP “cabal” of conspiring to build a stadium at Victoria Park, after Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner insisted this week it must form part of the Crisafulli government’s 100-day Olympic venue review.

Paddington councillor Seal Chong Wah, who won the ward from the LNP at the March council election, said the wheels were set in motion when former LNP lord mayor Graham Quirk delivered his review of Olympic venues in March.

Chong Wah said the Schrinner administration could not, on one hand, promote the transformation of  Victoria Park to Brisbane’s “Central Park” while also saying it was a “compelling” site for a new oval stadium.

Paddington councillor Seal Chong Wah has accused an LNP “cabal” of pushing Victoria Park.Credit: Cameron Atfield

“Those two things are completely incompatible,” she said.

“The LNP mayor’s active promotion of Victoria Park as an Olympic venue of course started with a review by former LNP mayor Graham Quirk.

“There is increasing evidence that the LNP are not being transparent or honest with the people of Brisbane.

“It is highly likely that an LNP cabal – including the former LNP mayor, current LNP mayor and key decision-makers in the new LNP state government – are already planning a new Olympic stadium in Victoria Park.”

Then-Labor premier Steven Miles appointed Quirk to conduct the 60-day review after the cost of the Gabba rebuild blew out from $1 billion to $2.7 billion.

Stage one of the Victoria Park/Barrambin catalyst works.Credit: Brisbane City Council

Asked to respond to Chong Wah’s accusation, a spokeswoman for Schrinner said the lord mayor was “not commenting on Greens conspiracy theories”. Quirk also declined to comment.

Comment was sought from Premier David Crisafulli, who said this week his promised 100-day venue review would begin next month.

Chong Wah noted that the first stage of the $120 million Victoria Park/Barrambin parkland project showed a “gaping huge hole … big enough for an Olympic stadium”.

“Schrinner campaigned on the renewal of Victoria Park for two years ahead of the last council elections,” she said.

“Clearly, this was an election-focused greenwash.”

At Tuesday’s council meeting, Schrinner insisted the review explore all options, before he promptly rejected two of the four serious proposals – the Gabba and the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre.

The proposed Victoria Park stadium precinct, as proposed by Archipelago.Credit: Archipelago

Labor council opposition leader Jared Cassidy said Schrinner was “trying to have a bob each way”.

“It’s very strange of the lord mayor to get up and say in one breath ‘I will not rule anything out’ and then rule out the Gabba and QSAC as Olympic stadiums,” he said.

“When will Adrian Schrinner make a decision about what he wants for Brisbane 2032? He will wait for everyone to do the hard work and then do a Steven Bradbury at the end to claim the win.”

To build Victoria Park, Crisafulli would have to break a pre-election pledge that no new stadium would be built.

Speaking on 4BC this week, former Howard government minister Gary Hardgrave said: “I think [Crisafulli’s] got to break a few promises and get on with a few things that need to be done.”

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