Brisbane 2032 Olympics: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese backs Brisbane Arena

As the release of the Queensland government’s Brisbane Olympics infrastructure plan nears, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has again backed federal funding for an inner-city indoor arena to host the Games’ swimming events.

First look at Brisbane Arena, the proposed swimming venue for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games. Photo: Supplied

Anthony Albanese has again thrown his support behind the proposed Brisbane Arena venue to host the Brisbane 2032 Olympic swimming events, ahead of the Queensland government’s release of its Games infrastructure plan.

Premier David Crisafulli will unveil the LNP government’s blueprint on Tuesday, a fortnight after receiving a report from an independent panel charged with reviewing venue options.

The Australian understands the panel has recommended the federally funded Brisbane Arena be shifted from its proposed current location at the Roma Street Parklands to the former GoPrint site adjacent to the Gabba stadium, on the other side of the Brisbane River.

Federal funding for the Olympics infrastructure is about $3.4bn, including $2.5bn to build Brisbane Arena and an extra $1bn to help construct 19 smaller venues but there is chatter that the LNP government is considering scrapping the indoor arena altogether, and seeking to redirect the federal cash to other Games sites in an effort to keep the cost of the event under the joint state-­federal $7.1bn budget previously announced.

In Brisbane on Wednesday, the Prime Minister would not be drawn on whether federal funding could be redirected if the Brisbane Arena did not go ahead, or whether it was conditional on that particular venue. “We support the Brisbane Arena. We support an indoor arena, not just because of what it will do for the Olympics, but importantly as well, it will provide an ongoing indoor venue for things like concerts and other activities,” he said.

Mr Albanese said inner-city indoor venues were important to attract big music acts. “What we’ve got is … money in there for an arena that’s important for the Olympics but also important for post-Olympics. We want young people to be able to go and – young and old – to be able to come and see festivals, to see music activity that occurs.

“I know Dua Lipa isn’t playing here in Brisbane but is playing in other cities where there are indoor venues close to the city,”

An artist's impression of Brisbane Arena configured for the 2032 Olympics. Picture: Supplied

Mr Albanese echoed Jim Chalmers’s declaration this week that there was unlikely to be extra federal funding for the Games’ building program: “I will discuss respectfully with the Premier the issues but we’re very clear about our funding being capped.”

Mr Crisafulli or his deputy, Jarrod Bleijie – responsible for Olympic infrastructure – will this week consult with Mr Albanese or Infrastructure Minister Catherine King ahead of the state plan’s release before the Crisafulli cabinet meets on Monday.

The panel is also understood to have recommended the government build a new stadium at Victoria Park, in Brisbane’s inner-north, putting Mr Crisafulli in an awkward political position after he repeatedly promised during October’s election campaign that there would be no new stadium.

Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee executive board – meeting this week in Greece – decided the Brisbane 2032 initial sports program would be determined at an IOC session next year.

A spokeswoman for the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee said the IOC’s decision was made independent of the state government’s venues review, and had been welcomed by the organising committee after it lobbied for the move.

“A key reason for the decision was to deliver the 2032 Olympic sports program and the Paralympic sports program in the same year, streamlining sport engagement for the organising committee,” she said.

Brisbane will have an opportunity to nominate one or two extra sports after the initial program is finalised, the IOC said.