Gabba rebuild on life support after Olympic supremo’s intervention

With the Gabba rebuild looking increasingly shaky, Brisbane’s lord mayor has demanded marquee Olympic events, such as athletics, remain in the city in the 2032 Games.

Former International Olympic Committee vice-president John Coates effectively killed off the Gabba rebuild on Wednesday, when he went public with concerns about the reputational damage the Olympic movement had copped due to the project’s huge cost blowouts.

John Coates with then-premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

The Gabba rebuild went from $1 billion when it was unilaterally announced by then-premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in 2021, to $2.7 billion almost a year ago.

Coates told News Corp the Gabba project should be abandoned, comments backed up by Australian Olympic Committee president Ian Chesterman on Thursday.

“We believe there are other, more creative solutions than rebuilding the Gabba for the Games which provide a legacy for our sports and even greater access for fans to an exceptional Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Chesterman said.

“We will put these ideas to the review committee.”

That committee, headed by former Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk, is conducting a 60-day review into Olympic venues.

The review was also considering moving athletics to, among other options, Metricon Stadium at Carrara, which hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Coates, who could not be reached on Thursday morning, also suggested to News Corp the opening and closing ceremonies could instead be held at Suncorp Stadium.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, a member of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic organising committee board, hosed down both ideas.

The Gabba rebuild appears doomed after Olympics supremo John Coates came out against the $2.7 billion project.Credit: Queensland government

“It’s clear to me that all events and activities currently planned for Brisbane, including the opening and closing ceremonies, should remain here in the host city and I’m still confident this will happen,” Schrinner said.

“I’ve previously voiced my support for holding the opening and closing ceremonies on the Brisbane River and I’ll continue to advocate for this to be a free event for all residents and visitors.”

Coates’ comments had the Gabba’s local Greens MP Amy MacMahon doing victory laps.

“If even the head of the Australian Olympics Committee is lining up with the Greens on scrapping the Gabba, [Queensland Premier] Steven Miles needs to call it now and back down from this whole ridiculous project,” she said.

But State Development and Infrastructure Minister Grace Grace, who was given oversight of the Games when Miles ascended to the premiership, said the Gabba rebuild was not dead. Rather, she said, the Quirk review gave organisers a “clean slate” to work with.

“I know you’re trying to ask me a question, ‘is [the Gabba rebuild] dead?’” she told journalists on Thursday morning.

“... If that’s the case, then that is the case, but honestly, as a minister, I don’t think it’s fair on the reviewers for me to express an opinion now, when they are working very diligently through all of the stakeholder submissions that they’re receiving.”

Asked whether she thought it appropriate that Coates would make such public statements while the review was still underway, Grace said: “I think Mr Coates can answer that himself. I am not going to gag John Coates.

“He’s a very important stakeholder and if he wishes to say something – we’re an open and transparent government – I’m not going to say don’t go out and say what you need to say,” she said.

“I welcome his input, I welcome his sound advice and I welcome his enthusiasm and passion for Brisbane hosting the 2032 Olympic Games. That has never waned with John Coates.”

Brisbane 2032 chairman Andrew Liveris said Coates’ assessment should be “listened to very carefully” as he rued the time lost, with the finishing line now eight years away.

“I lament the loss of time, and the distraction that has taken a little away from the amazing accomplishment of winning these Games. We need to move forward post-haste after this independent review is completed,” he said.

“We need to not re-litigate every decision on venues and infrastructure. We need to get the best outcomes for all stakeholders. And get on with the job of planning for what will be the biggest event in Queensland’s history in 2032 and one for all of us to be proud of.”

Even before the $1.7 billion blow-out was public knowledge, Liveris cast doubt on its viability.

“I’m sure that people responsible for looking at the cost, which is the government, will come eventually and say ‘this is the better plan’, and whatever the better plan is, we’ll take you through the process,” he said at a Queensland Media Club lunch in 2022.

Comment was sought from the Brisbane Lions and Queensland Cricket. Quirk also declined to comment on Thursday morning.

It was Quirk who spearheaded Brisbane’s bid for the Games in 2015, as head of the Council of Mayors (South East Queensland).

The Gabba never formed part of COMSEQ’s original proposal. Rather, a 50,000-seat modular stadium, which would be downsized after the Games to a boutique rectangular stadium, was proposed for Albion Park.

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