Kylie Lang: Premier has embraced a bold vision for Brisbane 2032, unlike the previous pair of duds

Palpable excitement has returned to Queensland after David Crisafulli’s delivery of Brisbane 2032’s blueprint, following four years of Labor dithering and disappointments, writes Kylie Lang.

Former Queensland premiers Steven Miles and Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Finally, a winning plan and a Premier with the smarts to see it through. David Crisafulli’s delivery of the 2032 Games blueprint this week was impressive.

Not simply because he’s a good orator – unlike the previous pair of duds.

It’s because Crisafulli – again, unlike the previous pair of duds – was upfront about breaking an election promise and has embraced a bold vision.

Now he needs to back it up with action and get cracking on the new stadium at Victoria Park and the raft of other stellar commitments.

Palpable excitement has returned to Queensland after four years of Labor dithering and disappointments.

Courier-Mail reader Ted Davis, from Burleigh Heads, is so pumped he sent me an illustration of a logo he’s designed for the 2032 Games – his “contribution”, as he calls it.

In place of the five Olympic rings, he’s put pineapple slices.

If only Golden Circle hadn’t been bought out by America’s Kraft Heinz. Still, I’m predicting a resurgence of the pineapple upside down cake from the 1950s.

Back to that broken promise.

Crisafulli would have anticipated being taken to task by editor Chris Jones at The Courier-Mail Future Brisbane lunch on Tuesday.

But where Steven Miles and Annastacia Palaszczuk would have ducked and weaved, Crisafulli did not.

Asked how he would deal with any fallout from the no-new-stadium backflip, he said: “By being honest and copping that on the chin.

“You’re right, and I have to own that, and I will, and I am sorry, and it’s my decision, and I accept that decision.”

Let’s repeat that: By being honest. I have to own that. I’m sorry.

Crisafulli went on to explain the 100-day review found there was insufficient time for a Gabba rebuild so it became a choice between an upgrade of QSAC (Miles’s genius idea) or a new stadium at Victoria Park.

Who could disagree with the outcome – other than the deluded fringe that thinks green space will be eradicated (it won’t) or the small-minded Miles?

Premier David Crisafulli speaks with Courier-Mail Editor Chris Jones. Picture: Adam Head

The Opposition Leader did no favours for the Games’ effort, his party or himself by tweeting from his table: “Breaking news: David Crisafulli breaks his no new stadium promise.”

Instead of boarding a train that is finally heading in the right direction, Miles indicated he is staying behind. Wrong move.

We need politicians to work together on this.

It is a legacy project, not a vanity project (something also lost on Queen Anna).

David Crisafulli may not be Premier when 2032 arrives, but his decisions for however long he holds the top job will steer these Games.

Will he make mistakes? Yes.

Is the plan perfect? No.

But take a moment and imagine the eyes of the world on our majestic Whitsundays for the sailing. Wow!

Artist impressions of the National Aquatics Centre proposed for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. Credit: Archipelago Architects.

Showcasing the beauty of our regions will provide a tourism boost to last well beyond the four weeks of the Olympics and Paralympics.

Ditto the infrastructure adding value to towns that felt ignored by previous Labor governments.

Shoring up the support of the regions is clever politics, no doubt, but it is also good governance.

So is the responsible use of already locked-in Games revenue to build a world-class aquatic centre in Spring Hill and upgrade the Queensland Tennis Centre at Tennyson.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, rudely shut out of negotiations by the Palaszczuk regime in its dying days, says the plan is a “great outcome” for the state.

The Gold Coast’s Tom Tate says it “absolutely nailed it” and from here on “it’s Team Queensland”.

We are right to feel pumped, and while we must never forgive nor forget the wasted Palaszczuk-Miles years, we can now start building an even better Queensland.

Kylie Lang is Associate Editor of The Courier-Mail

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Originally published as Kylie Lang: Premier has embraced a bold vision for Brisbane 2032, unlike the previous pair of duds