Editor’s view: We must find ways to get Olympic venues done

Today marks seven years until the Opening Ceremony of the 2032 Games, and the state finally seems to have shrugged off red tape and uncertainty to make inroads on venues and infrastructure.

A state government move to engage the private sector constructively in developing infrastructure for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games is welcome. Picture: Archipelago Architects

One thing the Palaszczuk and Miles Labor governments never properly understood was the potential value of bringing the private sector in to actually help get stuff done.

They had a crack right back at the start, when – just five months after its 2015 election victory, the freshly minted Palaszczuk administration unveiled a new scheme for private investors to work with government – a “market-led proposal” process, touted as a big ideas factory fuelled by proponents putting up state-building proposals that would then be given “priority consideration”.

Dozens of ideas were submitted to Queensland Treasury in the first 18 months of the process, with the scheme embraced by investors.

But it floundered because it was quickly – inevitably – wrapped up in the sort of bureaucracy that only a focused and energetic minister can untangle. None emerged.

We blew the whistle on its failure in this column back in December 2016, when we lamented: “The poor record of approvals (of market-led proposals) will also only spook investors into shelving their ideas, which Queensland can ill afford.”

Indeed, two years later the scale of the failure was stark: according to an Audit Office report, proponents had discussed 332 ideas for market-led proposals with the government between July 2015 and August 2018. There were 164 formal proposals submitted as a result. But just two had resulted in a contract.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie. Picture: Liam Kidston

The Audit Office report into the scheme concluded that while the market-led proposals scheme was a “valuable” idea – the government had failed to realise that value.

And so the scheme withered, rebadged as “Exclusive Dealings” and refocused onto projects that aligned with the government’s own priorities – rather than assisting those big ideas that were actually market-driven to get up.

Fast forward to today and we have another freshly minted state government, this time in blue – that is sounding out the private sector to help it do stuff. The most prominent is the Deputy Premier’s plan – forced by escalating costs for Games venues – to have the private sector build the much-needed 17,000-seat Brisbane inner-city arena, across from the existing Gabba stadium and next to the new Woolloongabba Cross River Rail underground station.

The Courier-Mail believes this is a must-have facility for our growing capital city – and before the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games that begin seven years from today. We take Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie at his word when he says it will be done, at minimal cost to taxpayers, by that crucial date.

We also support – in the same spirit – the proposal by the Walker Group to include a 7000-seat arena in its proposed Maroochydore City Centre development, and the Gold Coast City Council’s plan to have private investors build and operate its 12,000-seat Southport venue.

But we take this opportunity to remind Mr Bleijie of Queensland’s recent political history, and how the failure of the Market Led Proposals scheme was due to the politicians not leaning in to back it through the morass of public sector red tape.

Which is also why we back his moves to legislate to allow planning laws to be bypassed when it comes to Games-related works. Stephen Conry, who chairs the government body that will deliver the venues, is absolutely correct when he says any efficiencies are welcome when you have a non-negotiable time frame to deliver the greatest show on earth. We wish him, and his new CEO Simon Crooks, the very best.

Games precinct is an exciting opportunity

Today marks seven years exactly until the Opening Ceremony of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games – with the Paralympics to follow a month later. And with impeccable timing, the state government has chosen today to call for expressions of interest for the creation of the Victoria Park and Showgrounds precinct masterplan.

Which sounds pretty boring – at least until you dig a little deeper and discover what they are seeking are the biggest ideas out there to build an Olympic (and Paralympic) Park that will rival Sydney’s Homebush, but in our inner-city rather than an atmosphere-sucking 19km away.

As state political editor Hayden Johnson exclusively reveals, architects and developers will be offered a clean slate to flex their visionary muscle and come up with world-leading ideas for the site.

Proponents have been told the ambition is a world-class hub for recreation, events, entertainment, and lifestyle that will leave a lasting legacy beyond the Games.

The precinct will house the new 63,000-seat Victoria Park Stadium, the 25,000-seat National Aquatic Centre, and a 20,000 seat outdoor arena at the RNA Showgrounds – where the athletes village will also be built, in new high-rise buildings that will later become apartments.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie describes it as “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for industry leaders to help deliver Queensland’s largest infrastructure legacy”. We agree. This is all finally getting exciting, after years of frustrating delays.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details are available at www.couriermail.com.au/help/contact-us

Originally published as Editor’s view: We must find ways to get Olympic venues done