Palaszczuk’s Olympic Games legacy a poisoned chalice for Miles

Graham Quirk is the right man to lead the Brisbane Olympic infrastructure review and Premier Steven Miles will be sweating on the outcome.

Giving the straight-shooting Graham Quirk the final say on Brisbane’s Olympic infrastructure is a political masterstroke by Premier Steven Miles that should put an end to years of self-serving politics.

This 60-day review is a desperately-needed opportunity for the government to reset its approach to the Olympic Games and put a full-stop on uncertainty plaguing the most basic requirements asked of a host city – quality venues for athletes to compete in.

Annastacia Palaszczuk viewed securing the Olympic Games as one of her most admirable achievements – and it probable will be come 2032 – but for Mr Miles right now it is a poisoned chalice.

Mr Miles’s first month as Premier has seen him attempting to clear the political landmines facing the government; crime, cost of living, housing and now the Olympic Games.

Signs of the latest, and most significant, policy reversal came on Wednesday with the Premier’s admission he was “concerned about the cost” of the $2.7bn Gabba demolition and rebuild.

Former Lord Mayor Graham Quirk. Pics Tara Croser.

Mr Miles is right to review Games infrastructure, but if it is found a full rebuild is not the best option he’ll have a tough time explaining why that decision he convincingly campaigned for while deputy premier is now wrong.

He might declare Mr Quirk’s review is a proper, independent review – but that raises concern about the quality of government advice used in November to justify the full demolition.

The appointment of Mr Quirk – a former LNP lord mayor – will neutralise any concern the review will simply reinforce the government’s view.

One prominent stakeholder labelled the Gabba rebuild “dead and buried”, but there is mounting concern about the infancy of Brisbane’s Olympic Games plans.

There is talk the RNA showgrounds is being floated as an athletics venue and no certainty how Brisbane will accommodate the likely addition of cricket to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This 60-day review will create a clean slate, but it’s equally critical when the decision is made governments get on with it.

Queenslanders will rightly ask – two-and-a-half years after Ms Palaszczuk travelled to Tokyo – what the Olympic Games has done for them.

This generational transport and community transformation promised by politicians who were blinded by the glitz of the Olympic rings has so far failed to materialise.

In his failed RNA Stadium announcement the then-Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe declared work on the boutique $140m stadium needed to start by January 1 to be ready for the 2026 start of the Gabba redevelopment.

This review means – if the stadium is to go ahead – work won’t start until at least late March.

The Queensland government’s history of delivering projects on-time and within budget would have the most optimistic person concerned.

Brisbane’s Olympic Games represents an awkward dance for the LNP, which is rightly criticising the government’s infrastructure bungle but quietly reconfirming it supports the major event – a statement unpopular in regional Queensland.