Brisbane 2032: Chance to create world’s most accessible city

Brisbane can become a tourism mecca as one of the most accessible cities in the world, an expert says, but any changes made between now and 2032 would also benefit the locals, too. Here’s how.

Four-time Olympic gold medallist Curtis McGrath. Picture: Nigel Hallett

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Hospital-sized lifts in hotels and venues, flat precincts and innovative construction would make Brisbane a tourism mecca as one of world’s most accessible cities.

The University of Queensland Business School Associate Professor Judith Mair, an expert on events and tourism legacy, said the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games was a chance for Brisbane, as a younger Olympic city, to lead the way in accessibility.

“Accessibility, if you design it for tourism and the people who are coming for the Olympic Games, you’re also benefiting the local people at the same time,” she said.

“There’s a large section of the Australian population who have some needs in terms of accessibility.

This story is part of The Courier-Mail’s annual Future Brisbane series advocating for a focus on the right legacy outcomes from the hosting of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. You can read all of our coverage here.

“If you then consider that across the world, how many of the traditional destinations like Paris, London, New York are not necessarily particularly accessible, there is a huge market out there for those with disabilities who want to travel.

“We also have an ageing population … and these are the groups of people by and large who have got more disposable income to spend.

“Why would we not be filling that market niche given we’re in this process of redesigning and redeveloping lots of aspects of Brisbane.”

Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said terminals had assistance animal bathrooms and change rooms but further improvements were coming as part of the $5bn Future BNE works.

Brisbane Airport’s Gert-Jan de Graaff said accessibility would be improved at Brisbane facilities. File picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

“More facilities will be built as part of our current bathroom upgrade program, and the recent Aviation White Paper outlined a universal set of accessibility principles which we are currently engaging on,” he said.

Four-time Olympic gold medal-winning para canoeist Curtis McGrath says Brisbane can learn much about accessibility from the successes and shortcomings of the previous host cities.

“Paris was difficult because it was an extremely old city,’’ he said. “Trying to adapt to make all things accessible was very hard.

“If we are going to build something, it has to be accessible from the start. It is not retrofitted then taken down, otherwise it becomes a very tokenistic gesture.’’

McGrath, a former soldier, lost both legs after a bomb blast in Afghanistan.

He said hotel lifts were a big problem in Rio, with long delays in moving para-athletes around risking them running late to events.

“If you have a wheelchair basketball or rugby team and could only get two wheelchairs in a lift, it was extremely challenging,” he said.

He said larger lifts should be a key investment in any new Games-related infrastructure and accommodation.

“You need lifts like in hospitals or museum used for shifting cargo,” he said.

“They are incredibly expensive but it means teams can get in and out.’’

Many former host cities planned to address the issues of accessibility for para athletes during the Games.

Beijing took it a step further and made it law.

Winning the right to host the 2008 Games acted as a trigger for the Chinese government to pass new legislation to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

McGrath believes Brisbane was “not too bad’’ for accessibility but there were always areas which could be improved.

Global sustainable development consultant Arup is working with the state government on an Accessibility and Inclusion Strategy for the 2032 Games, prioritising usability for everyone.

Originally published as Brisbane 2032: Chance to create world’s most accessible city