Brisbane 2032 Olympics: How SE Qld stacks up against similar global regions
A new report shows where South East Queensland stands in relation to similar regions around the world. SEE THE PROS AND CONS
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South East Queensland must build up its identity as a globally competitive region if it wants to maximise exposure of the 2032 Games.
The southeast must also tackle increasing congestion, commute times, rising housing costs and poor productivity if it’s to establish itself as one of the world’s 100 largest city-region economies.
They are among the findings from an in-depth analysis of well-known regions across the world that has set out a road map for South East Queensland to secure a lasting legacy before, during and after the Brisbane 2032 Games.
The independentreport Benchmarking South East Queensland: In a Global Context, launching on Thursday, emphasises the need to improve connectivity, collaboration and the region’s global profile.
The comparative analysis looked at regions of similar size and attributes to the southeast, including Greater Vancouver, Seattle-Puget Sound, San Diego, South East Florida, Greater Manchester, South Holland, Stockholm, Hamburg, Barcelona, South Korea’s Busan City and Singapore.
It found the southeast was midway through a historic 40-year transition, in which the population would double from three to six million people by 2046.
It was found the region could reach the top 5 per cent of cities globally for future opportunity.
But key growing pains like congestion, commute times, rising housing costs and poor productivity were holding the region back.
To maximise the spotlight of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it was found South East Queensland must “build up, define and project” a cohesive identity as a globally competitive city-region.
A need for continued investment in transport was also identified, with the region’s weekday bus and train services 38 per cent less frequent than the four largest cities analysed in the report.
On housing, it was found greater choice and mix was needed across the region.
While South East Queensland’s affordability over Sydney or Melbourne continued to drive demand, it was found the region’s advantage had been eroded as the cost of land and construction drove sprawl, placing additional pressures on the transport network.
Homelessness figures were also catching up to international regions.
On productivity, the region was found to still have a smaller knowledge economy and was more reliant on healthcare and education as drivers of jobs and growth.
It found the southeast was facing challenges to attract research and development, capital, infrastructure, highly employable graduates, and frontier industries to invest in the region.
The 2025 benchmark report has been developed as part of a wider input to inform the Smart Region Digital Plan — one of the 29 commitments being delivered as part of the South East Queensland City Deal.
Council of Mayors (SEQ) chair and Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said more than three years into the City Deal, the report highlighted the importance of progressing discussions on further opportunities.
“We want to learn world-leading practices and work with all levels of government to deliver long-term legacies today, before the 2032 Games and beyond,” he said.
“The Brisbane 2032 Games are a catalyst for all levels of government and the private sector to work together to ensure our region continues to be a great place to live.
“To make sure that happens, it’s important we look at similar cities across the world to understand how they are addressing both challenges and opportunities.”
Committee For Brisbane CEO Jen Williams said South East Queensland had punched above its weight but it was clear more work was needed to ensure the region remained globally competitive and maximised the long-term benefits of hosting Brisbane 2032.
“Growing partnerships like the SEQ City Deal is one way all levels of government can work together to deliver on a long-term vision and plan to guide the growth of the region and respond to many of the challenges raised in the report,” she said.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie said it was crucial the state government worked with local government and industry to deliver the infrastructure a growing South East Queensland needs.
“Insights from the report reinforce the need for stronger partnerships between all levels of government and co-ordinated investment to supercharge economic development, creating more jobs and more opportunities for SEQ,” he said.
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Originally published as Brisbane 2032 Olympics: How SE Qld stacks up against similar global regions
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