Olympic plans in disarray amid claims of widespread blowouts, delays

The Queensland government has rejected a Commonwealth plea to get on with building Olympic venues, insisting the LNP’s mooted 100-day review must be allowed to play out.

Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King last week warned the review could further blow out costs, meaning Queensland taxpayers would be on the hook for even more money.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, who on Sunday said the previous Labor government had hidden $500 million in unannounced costs associated with the Brisbane Arena, said he had written to King on Monday to outline the cost escalations the new state government had identified.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie says the LNP will rein in Olympic costs.Credit: Joe Ruckli

“They [the Albanese government] expect Queensland taxpayers to fund all the Labor blowouts,” he said, adding that every project examined had a higher projected cost.

“Well, the premier and I, on behalf of Queenslanders, will not cop that.”

Bleijie said the review would work with stakeholders to reduce costs, so venues could be delivered on time and on budget.

Every proposed venue, from the main stadium and athletics track to the swimming pool, is now up for review.

Building costs have soared since the pandemic, with a post-COVID building boom driving up the costs of materials and labour.

But Bleijie had a simpler explanation.

“The reason behind the cost blowouts? I’ll tell you why – Labor,” he said.

“L-A-B-O-R. Steven Miles, Cameron Dick, Grace Grace, Shannon Fentiman, Yvette D’Ath, Mark Bailey, Mick de Brenni, all of them.

“That is the single issue for these cost blowouts, because they were too worried about red carpets and glitz and glamour, they took their eye off the ball.”

But as for how the LNP would have avoided cost blowouts, which have affected governments of all stripes across the world in the post-COVID inflationary period, Bleijie was short on details.

“We’ll respect Queensland taxpayers’ money,” he said.

Bleijie went on to say the “CFMEU element” affected productivity on worksites, leading to cost escalation “and we wouldn’t have allowed that to happen”.

Deputy opposition leader Cameron DickCredit: Cameron Atfield

Deputy opposition leader Cameron Dick said the comments showed Bleijie and the LNP were laying the groundwork to cut infrastructure projects.

“Every day the LNP gets up and talks about cost increases to infrastructure projects,” he said.

“Every Queenslander knows it doesn’t matter whether you are building a front deck or a shed in the backyard or a major infrastructure project, it costs more to build – and so every Queenslander knows what [Premier] David Crisafulli is doing.

“He is softening them up for major cuts to the capital program.”

Dick said there were four options for governments faced with increased costs.

“You can build the project that you promised to deliver,” he said.

“You can rescope the project, which means you do less for the same amount of money, and that’s a cut.

“You can cut the same project out altogether, so you can do a deep cut.

“Or you can dishonour other promises you make in the election campaign, or as a government, to fund those projects.”