Qld election 2024: David Crisafulli dodges stadium question
The Gabba is firming as the LNP’s stadium of choice for the 2032 Olympics, but David Crisafulli continues to withhold his Olympic plans.
QLD News
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Gabba is firming as the LNP’s stadium of choice for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, but Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has continued to withhold his Olympic plans from Queenslanders.
The LNP leader was asked by journalists nine times whether he would accept private funding for the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games stadium, and a total 15 questions about stadium options – all of which he refused to give a straight answer to.
While he repeatedly stated an LNP government would not build a new stadium, he conceded that knocking down and rebuilding the Gabba was still on the table.
The LNP will conduct a 100-day Olympic infrastructure review if elected, but it will not result in the Games being held at QSAC, Mr Crisafulli confirmed, effectively narrowing the review’s terms of reference to one option – the Gabba.
“Our focus is not on stadiums, our focus is on generational infrastructure,” he said.
“We are going to give people world class venues, it won’t be QSAC, but we’ve spoken about no new stadiums.”
Asked to clarify whether the Gabba redevelopment was considered a new stadium build, Mr Crisafulli did not answer, instead saying the outdated site was “part of the mix”.
“I’ve said that from day one,” he said.
Pressed again on whether the LNP was now left with only the Gabba as Brisbane's athletics venue in the absence of a new stadium, Mr Crisafulli refused to answer and pointed back to his review.
“Let’s just have a look at what the review says,” he said.
Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie said in March the LNP had never supported the Gabba knockdown after the project cost increased by from $1bn to $2.7bn.
It was revealed in former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk’s Olympic venues review that the real cost of the Gabba redevelopment would be $700m higher than that – up to $3.4bn.
His report recommended a new $3.4bn stadium be built at Victoria Park in Herston, saying the Gabba reconstruction would be difficult and would unlikely deliver an international standard stadium.
Mr Crisafulli on Sunday, appearing to ignore both Quirk recommendations, said he would be focused on creating generational infrastructure using 90 per cent existing venues without exceeding the $7.2bn Games fund.
Mr Quirk declined to comment.
Premier Steven Miles said Mr Crisafulli had backed himself into a corner over the Olympics venue options and demanded he “be honest” with voters before October 26.
“He’s got himself in quite a bind on Olympic stadiums, hasn’t he?” he said.
“He says he won’t go with the option that doesn’t involve a $3bn or more new stadium, but he also won’t build a $3bn or more stadium, so it has to be one or the other.
“He’s not telling Queenslanders he will build the Gabba and I’m sure that once he does, all of that feedback that we received when that was core to our plan will come forward.”
Mr Miles for more than one year promoted Annastacia Palaszczuk’s plan to rebuild the Gabba but axed the development when he became premier.
Both parties travelled to Bribie Island on Sunday, the LNP announcing a $250m infrastructure fund dedicated to grassroots sport club upgrades across the state, while the government spruiked its no net fishing policy for Moreton Bay waterways.
Mr Crisafulli pitched the grassroots sports fund as an Olympic legacy item, saying it was designed to make regional Queensland feel included in 2032 planning.
But the $250m fund would sit outside the existing $7.1bn Olympic Games bucket, and if elected, would be tagged onto the LNP’s first budget next June.
“(It’s) about making sure that every single part of the state benefits,” he said.
“We also want to make sure that then every region is able to bid for projects across all 12 regions.”
A total $11.1m of the $250 has so far been awarded to four sports clubs, including the Pine Rivers Football club which received a $3.8m kick-in on Sunday.
Mr Crisafulli confirmed that projects announced during the election campaign would be “first cab off the rank,” with remaining funds to be divided through a grant application process.
Local councils would also be asked to chip in.
An Olympic co-ordinated delivery authority would be created from scratch, with the board to include one regional Queensland member.
Mr Bleijie said, if elected, the LNP would also prioritise appointing a full-time chief executive to replace Emma Thomas whose interim contract will expire in February.
David Crisafulli on his Olympics ‘plan’
Q: Would you consider taking money from private investors for a host venue, a stadium?
A: We’ve mapped out our plan for stadiums.
Q: So would you be open to taking money from private investors?
A: We’ve spoken about what our focus is. Our focus is on generational infrastructure – road and rail ... making sure that there’s accessibility.
Q: But what about taking money from private investors for a new stadium: yes or no?
A: Our focus is not on stadiums. Our focus is on generational infrastructure. We are going to give people world-class venues. It won’t be QSAC, but we’ve spoken about no new stadiums.
Q: But if you can build a new stadium within the existing funding envelope, if you have some money from the private sector, will you do that?
A: Our focus is to make sure that Queenslanders get back to what it was always about.
Q: You haven’t answered the question. If it comes in within the existing funding envelope, will you do it?
A: Our focus is generational infrastructure. We are going to create venues that are world class. But we have said we’re not embarking on new stadiums.
Q: If private investment is there and if it leads to generational infrastructure, are you open to that idea for a new stadium?
A: We’ve said we’re not embarking on new stadiums. We’re talking about making sure that stadiums are world-class, not like the one that the government’s pushing with QSAC, which is temporary and poorly located for what it needs to be. And we’ve spoken about generational infrastructure – our focus.”
Q: What are your conditions though, for new stadiums?
A: As it is, no new stadiums.
Q: Do you consider upgrading the Gabba, or rebuilding the Gabba as a new stadium?
A: That’s part of the mix, I’ve said that from day one.
Q: It sounds like you’ll be doing the Gabba, then?
A: Let’s look at the review.
Q: It’s the only thing that fits the bill though?
A: Let’s just have a look at what the review says.
More Coverage
Originally published as Qld election 2024: David Crisafulli dodges stadium question
Queenslanders want daylight saving. So what’s the problem?
Queenslanders overwhelmingly want daylight saving, and politicians who avoid the issue may be doing so at their own peril, writes Thomas Sigler. VOTE IN OUR POLL
What’s open, what’s closed on King’s Birthday public holiday
It’s the King’s Birthday public holiday in Queensland today. Here is your guide to what’s open, what’s closed and what impact there will be to train, bus and ferry services.