‘Poor location’: No funding for transport to Premier’s chosen Olympics stadium

Improving public transport to the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre would cost at least $400m, it can be revealed, amid new revelations the state government has little idea how it would be funded.

Improving public transport to the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre would cost at least $400m amid new revelations the state government has little idea how it would be funded.

State Development Minister Grace Grace revealed transport to the 2032 athletics stadium at QSAC – selected by Premier Steven Miles despite a review finding it “does not represent value for money” – had not been investigated or costed.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the state government would have to spend at least $400m on transport infrastructure if it was to turn QSAC into an Olympic venue.

The Lord Mayor said the state was yet to consider transport options for the QSAC proposal, which he said would require a metro station and extended bus services at an estimated cost of between $400-$500m.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner at Victoria Park, the proposed site for an Olympic stadium. Picture: Liam Kidston

“The government hasn’t put any funding aside to provide transport options for QSAC and it is my initial estimate that there would need to be $400-500m put on the table just to accommodate the transport options in and out of QSAC,” he said.

“So $1.6 billion for QSAC, plus $400-500m, that takes it up to around $2bn plus.

“That’s what we’re looking at here if you’re going to accommodate transport.”

Reaffirming his preference for the Victoria Park stadium, Mr Schrinner pointed out the surrounding transport infrastructure was already in place, but said he was willing to work with the government on ensuring adequate transport would be built if it chooses to pursue QSAC.

Buses are the only realistic option to get to the QSAC stadium currently. Picture: David Clark

“There are no transport improvements that are required for Victoria Park,” he said.

“We are right next to a station here for Brisbane Metro … this is a ready made solution with ready made transport.

“Brisbane Metro services will run from this (Herston) station later on this year and they’ll continue running all the way up to 2032 and beyond … as well as an Exhibition train station that’s being upgraded as part of Cross River Rail.

“It will have metro stations that will help train stations. It will have great access to public transport.”

A Jump Rope for Heart event at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre.

Griffith University Vice Chancellor Carolyn Evans said the educator had long lobbied for the government to consider using QSAC and said it should licence the Brisbane City Council to extend the Brisbane Metro bus network.

“What we see as the real opportunity for using QSAC, which I believe has been a bit underplayed when we’re talking legacy – is connecting up the southern suburbs of Brisbane with public transport,” she said.

“It would be fantastic to see the Brisbane Metro connected into Griffith – that’s the sort of legacy that’s being ignored when we say there’s little legacy.”

She said the university would be open to relinquishing land for the government to develop athlete entry facilities or public transport infrastructure.

“We’re very happy to work with the government about how we might use our land on a temporary or permanent basis,” she said.

Public transport advocate Robert Dow of Rail Back on Track said QSAC was in a “poor location” with no high-capacity transport.

Then-named QEII stadium in 1982 for the Brisbane Commonwealth Games.

“Local governments and the community got behind the Olympics with the implicit understanding that we were going to get a visionary infrastructure boost to support the growth of southeast Queensland,” he said.

“So far all we have seen is cutbacks.

“We’re not even getting rail to Maroochydore after decades of government procrastination, and little else is on the table either.”