The man who’s really behind cowardly QSAC decision

It’s a cowardly decision that reeks of political survival, but there’s only one man behind the decision to splash $1.6bn to reincarnate QSAC stadium, and it isn’t the Premier, writes Hayden Johnson.

There’s only one man whose decision this was and it’s not the Premier of Queensland.

Be in no doubt, politicians aren’t controlling the vision of Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games – International Olympic Committee vice-president John Coates is.

Using Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, formerly QEII Stadium, as a venue was ruled out well before Brisbane won the Games in 2021 due to its dilapidated facilities and poor public transport.

It wasn’t mentioned again until January, when Mr Coates, a Sydney resident, used it as the grenade to blow up the Gabba.

Mr Coates is a clever and shrewd man who has reached the peak of global sport – but Steven Miles has swallowed his agenda, ignored clear warnings and splashed $1.6bn to reincarnate the 1980s-era QSAC in a cowardly decision that reeks of political survival.

International Olympic Committee vice-president John Coates. Picture: John Feder/The Australian

The Premier has used $450,000 of your cash – just Monopoly money in the government’s eyes – to ask for a review that he was working to undermine before eventually ignoring.

QSAC is the cheap alternative at the expense of building a new stadium that would truly put this city on a national and global sporting and events map stage. 

Not only are we missing a golden opportunity, we’re spending $1.6bn on a facility few are asking for.

Mr Miles’s claim that QSAC represents great value is rubbish – it is simply the cheapest option. 

Next, the government will tell Queenslanders there won’t be any medals for athletes in 2032 because ribbons are much cheaper. 

This is a political decision made by a tired Labor government desperate for survival at the expense of generational change. 

QSAC offers no inner-city activation and isn’t remotely close to the $7.7bn Cross River Rail and Brisbane Metro public transport corridors.

International Olympic Committee vice-president John Coates and then Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in 2022. Picture: Richard Walker

The Premier says the savings of not demolishing the Gabba will be used to improve it and Suncorp Stadium.

Mr Miles isn’t yet sure whether the Gabba upgrade will make it fully disability-compliant to allow kids in wheelchairs on to the ground.

How will we get 40,000 people out of QSAC when the night’s athletics finishes?

Mr Miles says it’s “likely” to be buses, but he’s not entirely sure about that either.

What Queenslanders can be sure of is politicians with conviction are no more.

The LNP’s refusal to utter a word about the QSAC or Victoria Park stadium proposal is no better.

The opposition rightly slams the government for the lack of action and in the same breath says it will go back to the drawing board if elected in late October.

It’s a shambles.

Originally published as The man who’s really behind cowardly QSAC decision