State to brief Redland on ‘done deal’ Olympic whitewater venue

A bayside councillor says he felt ‘muzzled’ in his efforts to discuss an Olympic whitewater venue after he was told contracts had already been signed and a state government costings briefing scheduled for next week.

Redland councillor Paul Golle says he felt his efforts to discuss withdrawing support for a $100 million Olympic whitewater centre, planned for land at Birkdale, were ‘muzzled’.

The cost to build an Olympic whitewater venue south of Brisbane will be revealed on Monday when state government delegates address Redland City Council.

The councillor-only meeting will be two days before councillors are expected to vote on a business case for the project, estimated to cost more than $100 million on Wednesday.

Redland councillor Paul Golle said he felt that his attempts to question support for the Olympic whitewater venue, to be built on council land at Birkdale, were “muzzled” ahead of Monday’s briefing.

Cr Golle said it appeared some contracts had already been let for the venue although he and other councillors had not been informed.

He said he was dismayed that his attempt to put a motion before council asking it to withdraw its support for the project was scuppered.

A Redland City Council spokesperson said councillors would still be able to discuss the project but Cr Golle’s proposed notice of motion could not be put to the council because it failed to comply with standing orders by seeking to change a contract without sufficient detail.

The spokesperson said the proposal did not take into account a 2021 council decision to enter into the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Delivery Partner Arrangements.

“Despite the notice of motion being disallowed, councillors still have opportunity to have their say on this project,” the spokesperson said.

“There are multiple reports to council on the Birkdale Community Precinct where councillors consider the issues, including reports listed for the General Meeting of council on September 13.

“While the council has signed the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games – Delivery Partner Arrangements, as per the council decision on April 1, 2021, these arrangements are still subject to the support of the Australian and Queensland governments.”

A Redland council image of the proposed whitewater centre.

Cr Golle said he wanted to ask the council to withdraw its support for the venue because he held grave concerns about the future costs to ratepayers after the Olympics.

“The state government is divided on the subject locally, with state MP Don Brown saying he would not announce his stance on the venue until after the March local government election,” he said.

“Despite the initial mention of a feasibility study to establish the costs and infrastructure needs to support such an event, the state government has presented zero information to date.

“The state claims there is a housing crisis – so we either address that or spend the money on an Olympic whitewater venue.

Redland council land at Birkdale is where the whitewater venue is expected to be built.

“I was advised by (council representatives), who had sought external legal advice, that I could not put my motion forward because it would breach contracts they had already signed.

“I offered to modify the motion but was advised I had missed the deadline for submitting it to the meeting even though they have had my request for seven weeks.

“It will not matter what reports they bring to us next week, based on the advice, the Olympic whitewater venue is a done deal with contracts already in place with Brisbane City Council and the state government.”

A number of officer reports about the costs and estimated timings are expected to be presented to the council at its public meeting on Wednesday.

Mayor Karen Williams visited the US and Canada this year to inspect whitewater venues and oversaw a deal with Penrith City Council in NSW to prohibit the southern venue from stealing its business when it opened.