Demands for Minister to front Senate on Gabba, Olympic funds

The senate has ordered a senior minister to explain why the federal government is keeping details of negotiations of the Gabba’s Olympic rebuild secret.

The Senate has ordered a senior minister to explain why the federal government is continuing to keep secret details of negotiations over the Gabba Olympic Stadium redesign.

Infrastructure Minister Catherine King has twice claimed public interest immunity to block previous demands from the Senate to provide information on talks with the State Government about Olympic Games infrastructure.

The Coalition and crossbench backed Queensland Greens Senator Penny Allman-Payne when she moved a motion on Tuesday demanding a Minister representing Ms King front the Senate on Wednesday to deliver an explanation.

The Senate cannot compel Ms King herself to attend, as she is in the House of Representatives, while no decision had been made on Tuesday on whether a Minister representing her would respond to the demand.

Greens Senator Penny Allman-Payne. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Last week Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said to “watch this space” for an announcement, following national cabinet meeting on Friday, while Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she would be speaking to people shortly about a funding deal with the federal government.

The two jurisdictions have been at loggerheads over the funding, after the Albanese Government declined to follow through with the 50-50 funding split agreed to by the Morrison Government and raised questions over the proposed Gabba redesign.

Infrastructure Minister Catherine King. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Senator Allman-Payne said the government was using “dodgy reasoning” to refuse the original Senate order to release details of the Gabba rebuild.

“That’s just not good enough. This disastrous project is a huge waste of money that will destroy a school and a much-loved park and cause irreparable damage to Brisbane’s inner southside. The community deserves to know the truth,” she said.

“We’ve learned recently that the federal government may be backing out of the Morrison-era deal with Queensland Labor to fund 50 per cent of the rebuild.

“If that’s the case then that’s a pretty frank admission from Federal Labor that the project is a dud.”

A spokeswoman for Ms King said the Queensland and Commonwealth governments were continuing to have cooperative discussions about investment in Olympic Games venue infrastructure.

“There will be a positive contribution from the Commonwealth aimed at making sure there is a lasting benefit for people,” she said.