Victoria Park Olympics stadium faces legal challenge

Opponents over environmental and heritage concerns of the future Olympic Stadium in Brisbane’s Victoria Park plan to pursue legal action to stop construction.

An artist’s impression of the planned Olympic Stadium in Brisbane’s Victoria Park.

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Opponents of the Olympic ­Stadium planned for Brisbane’s Victoria Park plan to pursue legal action to stop construction despite new Queensland laws designed to fast-tack and protect key Games projects.

The Crisafulli government on Thursday introduced changes to the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games Arrangements Act 2021 to override council and state planning laws, claiming it is ­needed to ensure the $7.1bn rollout of venues is not impeded ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

Under the changes, the Games Independent Infrastructure and Co-ordination Authority (GIICA) will be charged with designing and planning each project, which it will submit directly to government for approval and funding. Once funds have been allocated, the venue is “legal” and no longer subject to any other legislation.

Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister Jarrod Bleijie said the government must get on with delivering the Games.

“Any development for author­ity venues, other venues, games-related transport infrastructure or villages listed in the bill are lawful and not subject to approval under the Planning Act 2016 or other relevant acts listed,” he said.

“With the largest infrastructure investment in Queensland’s history, it’s important our legislation ensures clear pathways to delivery with the appropriate oversight.”

Protest group Save Victoria Park – supported by former LNP premier Campbell Newman – has previously vowed to take the government to court in order to stop the $3.8bn centrepiece of the government’s Olympics plan, unveiled in March.

Group spokeswoman Rosemary O’Hagan said the bill was a “slap in the face” to the community and democracy.

“We are outraged, but not deterred, by the Crisafulli government’s plans to bulldoze the city’s planning, environment, nature and heritage laws in order to destroy Victoria Park-Barrambin for two Olympic stadiums,” Ms O’Hagan said.

“To the Premier we say: this move does not stop us, it strengthens our resolve. Legal actions are being prepared.”

The group has retained barrister Stephen Keim SC to lead their legal challenge, but members declined to say what avenues it was pursuing.

Mr Keim rose to prominence in the late-2000s when he represented Indian-born doctor Mohamed Haneef in his fight to retain his Australian visa after he was suspected of terror-related activities.

The planning changes are understood to override a clause within the same Olympics legislation, which allows the Supreme Court to decide whether government decisions under the act are affected by jurisdictional error, leaving them open to be struck down.

In its 100-day review of venues for the state government, GIICA requested powers to overcome planning obstacles over fears that delivery delays of even six to 12 months could derail construction timelines given the slim seven-year run-up to the Games.

Amendments to the bill will also reduce the number of representatives on the board of Brisbane 2032 organising committee from 24 to 15 following the Olympics review, which Mr Bleijie said would save the government at least $2.4m.

A final decision on the membership will be decided in the coming weeks.

The 63,000-seat Victoria Park venue was included in the government’s plan despite Premier David Crisafulli repeatedly promising prior to the election that his government would not build a new stadium.

It is understood the cost to ­deliver the project could exceed $5bn when transport infrastructure is factored into the total spend.