Disabled sports fans left in cold at non-compliant and ‘tired’ Gabba

Disabled sports fans are segregated from family, get wet when it rains and must navigate cracked footpaths and huge crowds from the drop-off zone 250m away, an assessment of the Gabba has revealed.

Disabled sports fans are segregated from family, get wet when it rains and must navigate cracked footpaths and huge crowds to get to the stadium from the drop-off zone 250m away, a shocking assessment of the ‘tired’ Gabba stadium has revealed.

The Gabba has not had a major upgrade in 25 years and was slammed by Graham Quirk this year as part of his independent review into venues for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The stadium is not compliant with current Disability Discrimination Act requirements or modern building codes, the report outlined.

But a special investigation by The Sunday Mail has found just how difficult it is for disabled sports fans to get to the Woolloongabba stadium and to access seating and other facilities. The wheelchair accessible drop-off zone and car park is a block away on Linton St – some 250m from the nearest entrance to the stadium.

There are limited parking spots and it is on a first-come, first-served basis.

People in wheelchairs must navigate over roads, cracked footpaths and dodge huge crowds on their way to the 42,000-capacity stadium.

Once inside, there are only two lifts to take fans up to the grandstand, with access to those hampered by slanting concrete floors and angled surfaces, making it difficult for many wheelchair users

Bob and Linda (wheelchair) McKenzie from Melbourne, in a queue to access the lift at the Gabba Stadium, Lions vs. Richmond at the Gabba, on Saturday 18th May. Photo: Steve Pohlner.

There are only 85 wheelchair-accessible seats – well under the 200 needed to make it DDA-compliant. By comparison, Suncorp Stadium has 220 wheelchair positions, while Perth’s Optus stadium and Allianz Stadium in Sydney have 450 wheelchair spots.

The lack of seats also means disabled fans are restricted to only having one carer or family member sit with them.

Die-hard Richmond fans Linda and Bob McKenzie, who flew up from Melbourne to watch the Lions play the Tigers last weekend, said they had to purchase premiership lounge tickets because there were no wheelchair-accessible seats available.

“That was $550 each for us to even get to the game, I don’t know how many disabled seats there are but we couldn’t get them,” Mr McKenzie said.

Maree Sklavenitis, whose mother uses a wheelchair after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2017, said tickets for disabled seats often sold out within 10 minutes of going on sale.

“If you don’t get in early, you don’t get a spot,” she said.

Under Gabba guidelines, only one carer is allowed to stay with a person in a wheelchair spot.

“Mum needs two carers and they only allow one person,” she said. “We have to sit all the way up there (behind her), so I wish there was more lenience of seats for that,” she said.

Ms Sklavenitis said the roof also didn’t completely cover wheelchair seats, so if it rains, those sitting there get wet.

Leanne Sklavenitis, mum in the wheelchair, daughter Maree Sklavenitis, husband Steve Spangenberg, carer Talah Hilton, carer Sanjog Giri, on the wheelchair viewing area at the Gabba Stadium. Photo: Steve Pohlner.

Paralympian Karni Liddell said it felt like there was a segregation between able-bodied people and disabled people.

“I always think, we are so segregated when we are just in this wheelchair section, I can’t go to where my friends go because they have to sit away from me and its very isolating,” she said. “The fact that people think that me, Karni Liddell, a human being, only has a companion or carer to go with, it is extraordinarily ignorant and arrogant. I have a son, but if I take my son anywhere then I can’t have a carer or vice versa.”

The Quirk report also highlighted other failings including the inability for ambulances to access the field; smaller Medicabs can’t take players all the way to medical rooms because of narrow back-of-house corridors; there are no change areas or toilets for female athletes; facilities for catering staff are “second-rate” and moving food and drinks around the stadium “is challenging”; and a traffic nightmare is created at every event, with road closures mandatory to get spectators in and out of the venue safely.

Despite recommendations by Mr Quirk to build a new boutique Olympic stadium at Victoria Park for the 2032 Games, Premier Steven Miles said he would push ahead with a budget upgrade of the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre at Nathan.

As part of that proposal he said $1bn would be available for upgrading the Gabba and Suncorp Stadium. He acknowledged there “isn’t an option that delivers full accessibility, full disability access”, but pledged to work with disability advocacy groups”.

State Development and Infrastructure Minister Grace Grace said work was under way to determine how the stadium would better cater for people with a disability.

“The government has been acutely aware of accessibility issues at the Gabba for both patrons and athletes, and it was one of the driving forces behind the plans to upgrade the stadium,” she said.

There is little access for disabled patrons at The Gabba.

“Two of the premier’s first commitments were to commission an independent Sports Review and pass legislation to introduce an independent Games Delivery Authority. Both of those things have now been done. Discussions on upgrades at the Gabba are underway and improvements to disability access will be a key part of those upgrades.”

Ms Liddell said people with disabilities should be consulted on how to improve the Gabba.

“Ninety-eight per cent of places aren’t accessible and the Gabba is just a reflection on most of society,” she said. “Unfortunately even people who are trying to do the right thing who follow the codes, they’re just so outdated and end up helping nobody.”

It is understood the Brisbane Lions have harboured concerns about accessibility at the Gabba, including for people with disabilities and for emergency services.

Big crowds outside The Gabba.

A Lions spokesman said it was no secret the Gabba required “significant funding to ensure it is fit for purpose and meets future needs for the city, hirers, and fans beyond 2032”.

“The venue’s issues are well documented including capacity restraints, accessibility challenges and issues with technology, connectivity and compliance,” they said.

A spokesman for Cricket Australia said they were still trying to ascertain how issues of concern would be addressed in future redevelopment plans.

“We have sought full details about the proposed Gabba upgrade from the Queensland Government to ensure the stadium meets the needs of all cricket participants and fans,” the spokesman said.

Outside The Gabba stadium.