Albo won’t deliver Qld a ‘briefcase full of cash’ for 2032 Games

During his first visit to Queensland since the federal election the Prime Minister said he won’t cough up $2.5bn for the 2032 Games cash without detail on where it would be better spent.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a press conference in Brisbane. Picture: Tertius Pickard

The Prime Minister says he will not deliver the Crisafulli government a $2.5bn “briefcase full of cash” for the 2032 Games without more detail on where it would be better spent instead of an inner-city entertainment arena.

Anthony Albanese on Wednesday made his first visit to Queensland since the May federal election delivered him 12 seats in the Sunshine State — an additional seven compared to the last election.

Mr Albanese was in Brisbane for the first State of Origin game at Suncorp Stadium.

Alongside his Sports Minister Anika Wells, Mr Albanese defended why he was yet to green light a plan for the Crisafulli government to reallocate $2.5bn of federal funding written in the Brisbane 2032 Intergovernmental agreement to other games’ venues and projects.

“I wouldn’t have thought it was unreasonable to say that you don’t come up with … a briefcase full of cash and say, ‘here it is, spend it on whatever you want’. That’s not the way that we deal with things,” he said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese takes a selfie. Picture: Tertius Pickard

“We have made it clear that we want to support the Olympics. I have a good relationship with the Premier, we’ll engage constructively, but we’ll make sure that this event will transform this city, it will lift it up even further.”

Ms Wells said the federal government had welcomed changes to venues in the 2032 Delivery Plan but ongoing discussions were to ensure taxpayers got the best value for the $2.5bn.

“The Prime Minister wrote to the Premier saying, ‘you know, you don’t have to worry about us squibbing on the deal, we love the Games, we want to make it a success, but we need to see that detail’,” she said.

“We make no qualms about … asking to see that there is value for taxpayer money before we sign on to which particular elements of that we will deliver as the Federal Government.”

The Queensland government last Tuesday opened a formal market engagement process to privately build the arena at the Go Print site and develop the adjoining Gabba stadium after the 2032 Games across a 9ha Woolloongabba site.

Finance Minister Jim Chalmers during a press conference in Brisbane. Picture: Tertius Pickard

International venue heavyweights ASM Global and Live Nation, and Australian construction giant Lendlease are among the more than 200 private firms who have expressed interest so far.

Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee President, Andrew Liveris AO said opening the formal process was a great example of discovering what the private sector could deliver the city.

“The expressions of interest over 200 from the private sector is bang on strategy with respect to giving Brisbane an entertainment venue that it deserves and I’m all for that,” he said.

Mr Liveris said he was still waiting to see 2032 venue costs.

But he said the Games independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority and the relevant state government departments were working on them while discussions were going about the use of the $2.5bn arena federal funding.

He would not say when a deadline for costings was needed if construction was to begin on 2032 venues late next year.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a press conference in Brisbane. Picture: Tertius Pickard

“Minister Wells and Minister (Catherine) King and the Prime Minister are working closely with our state government leaders here, and I’m very confident that they’ll get the intergovernmental agreement in the right spot,” he said.

“I’ve seen the timelines.

“OCOG, are very comfortable with them.”

Mr Liveris said while the arena was no longer a required 2032 venue, if it was ready, they would look at using it during the Games.

Originally published as Albo won’t deliver Qld a ‘briefcase full of cash’ for 2032 Games