Gabba stadium plan hit by ‘vested interests’

Former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has slammed ‘vested interests’ including the AFL and cricket for undermining her plan to rebuild the Gabba stadium for the Brisbane Olympics.

Former Labor premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. She has spoken out as the finalised recommendations of a 100-day review into the stalled venue program went to the state LNP government, stoking tensions over the stadium decision. Picture: supplied

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Former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has slammed “vested interests” including the AFL and cricket for undermining her plan to make a rebuilt Gabba stadium the focal point of the Brisbane Olympics.

Ms Palaszczuk spoke out as the finalised recommendations of a 100-day review into the stalled venue program went to the state Liberal National Party government, stoking tensions over the stadium decision.

As reported by The Australian, the evaluation by the board of the Games Independent Infrastructure and Co-ordination Authority backs the construction of a new stadium of up to 60,000 seats at Victoria Park on the northern lip of the CBD.

Aerials of Brisbane. The Gabba Stadium at Woolloongabba

The second major venue, Brisbane Arena, a 17,000-seat hall to host the Olympic swimming in a drop-in pool, will be shifted to a site adjacent to the Gabba on the city’s inner-southside under the GIICA blueprint.

The ageing facility will need an upgrade to operate through to the Games in 2032, with the AFL and top-flight cricket fixtures transferred to Victoria Park.

Ms Palaszczuk, who was Labor premier from 2015 to 2023, said this was a mistake. The stadium should go to the site with the best public transport links and that was the Gabba, she said.

She singled out the AFL, the nation’s richest sporting code, and cricket as being among the “vested interests” that eroded support for the Gabba rebuild.

This had been central to the pitch she made in 2021 to the International Olympic Committee to secure the Games.

“Unfortunately, they were too interested in themselves rather than the good, the overall good of what it would mean for the city and the legacy it would mean for their sports,” she said.

Queensland Cricket, the AFL and reigning premiers the Brisbane Lions declined to comment.

The codes are strongly in favour of the Victoria Park development and submitted a detailed, joint submission to the review headed by GIICA chair Stephen Conry setting out the case for constructing the stadium there.

Then Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Brisbane lord mayor Adrian Schrinner and then federal sports minister Richard Colbeck celebrate after Brisbane was announced as the 2032 Summer Olympics host city in July 2021 during the Covid pandemic. Picture Toru Hanai.

Ms Palaszczuk was particularly scathing of the cricketers, saying: “I never thought I would see the day when they didn’t want the Gabba redeveloped.

“It’s been the home of cricket for well over a century. You know, people in India come to the Gabba to take pictures because it is synonymous with cricket.”

Ms Palaszczuk said connectivity was the “primary consideration” for an Olympic stadium. The Gabba’s already strong public transport links would be enhanced when the $17bn Cross River Rail network came on line, with a station positioned by the ground. Brisbane City Council’s Metro system of tram-like buses would also service the Gabba.

“Wherever those connections are is where your new infrastructure needs to be,” she said.

LNP Queensland Premier David Crisafulli reportedly backs the Gabba. Picture: Image/Josh Woning

Several sources, in the government and also with knowledge of the review, said Premier David Crisafulli had privately made it clear he favoured a rebuild of the Gabba as the Olympic stadium.

“David and a few of his cabinet colleagues prefer the Gabba, there’s no doubt about that,” one said. “There is an element of nostalgia, given its history, but also because it will be well-serviced in terms of public transport with the Cross River Rail station, when it is completed.

“The other thinking is that the Premier, politically, could spin a Gabba rebuild in that he is keeping his election promise in not building a new stadium, on a greenfield site, but replacing an old stadium.’’

Before his election last October, Mr Crisafulli repeatedly promised there would be no new stadium under a LNP government. He insisted that the joint state and federal infrastructure budget for the main Games venue would be kept at $7.1bn, the funding agreed to by the Palaszczuk and Albanese governments.

The review, understood to have recommended the proposed new stadium at Victoria Park, analysed the Gabba rebuild and found it too expensive and risky.

A plan for Victoria Park proposed by the Arcadis Victoria Park Strategic Plan for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games. Picture: supplied

A source said the Palaszczuk government had failed to factor in major construction and logistical challenges before announcing its plan to demolish the existing Gabba stadium and replacing it.

“There are limited laydown areas for materials and equipment and there would have to be overground tunnels built on Stanley and Vulture streets to allow for traffic to the eastern suburbs during construction.

“And given the tight time frames, thought would have to be given to a 24-hour construction schedule. It’s just too risky and too costly to go ahead.”