Miles accuses Olympic ‘big wig’ of bullying over Brisbane stadium

Queensland Premier Steven Miles has doubled down on his controversial plan for a no-frills Olympic stadium, while accusing an “Olympic big wig” of bullying the LNP into opposing the proposal.

Miles accused Opposition Leader David Crisafulli – who has described the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre plan as “cringeworthy” – of bowing to pressure to block the QSAC redevelopment if elected.

“When it comes to priorities, we can have a great Games,” Miles said on Thursday.

An artist’s image of the proposed new Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre as it would be developed for the Brisbane Olympics.Credit: RTI - Queensland Government

“We can invest in the Bruce Highway, we can invest in great healthcare, but we can’t if David Crisafulli gets his way and spends another $3 billion on stadiums, just because an Olympic big wig bullied him into it.”

Miles was speaking in Cairns, where the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee is meeting for the first time since last month’s Paris Games.

This masthead has sought clarification as to which “Olympic big wig” the Premier referred, but Miles’ comments came a day after Brisbane 2032 president Andrew Liveris waxed lyrical about attending events at the 80,000-seat Stade de France.

Liveris, an accomplished businessman and former head of Dow Chemical Company, spoke of “the power of having a right-size stadium for the Olympics” in the context of income streams during the Games.

Andrew Liveris speaking in Brisbane on Wednesday.Credit: Cameron Atfield

Crisafulli, who has promised a 100-day review into Olympic venues if the LNP wins the October state election, said on Thursday Queenslanders needed to have pride in their Games.

“At the moment, they are embarrassed by their state government and I want Queenslanders to know that it doesn’t have to be that way,” Crisafulli said.

“We’re committed to making sure that as part of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, we do have a plan for generational infrastructure, and that looks like road and rail, but it also looks like having stadiums that Queenslanders can be proud of.”

Two months ago, this masthead exclusively revealed the initial QSAC design concepts, which would include just 14,000 permanent seats and be expanded to 40,000 during the Games through temporary seating. That revelation prompted national ridicule of the plan.

QSAC was proposed as a venue after Miles rejected the findings of a review he commissioned into Olympic venues. That review, led by former Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk, recommended a new stadium at Victoria Park with an estimated price tag of $3.5 billion.

In selecting QSAC, Miles said he had relied heavily on the advice of Australian Olympic supremo John Coates.

The same venues review estimated the cost of QSAC to be $1.6 billion, with a further $1 billion requited to be spent to bring the Gabba up to code. In addition, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has estimated a further $400 million would need to be spent on public transport links to QSAC.

Miles said Queensland would have “many great venues” come 2032, including the $2.5 billion Brisbane Arena at the Roma Street Parklands.

“What we don’t need is another $3 billion gold-plated venue, just because David Crisafulli is too weak to stand up to those few people in the inner-city of Brisbane who want to see it,” he said.

Crisafulli, who previously rejected the Victoria Park proposal and is yet to suggest an alternative to QSAC, cited public-private partnerships as one way government could deliver major infrastructure projects while keeping costs down.

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