Push for Olympic truce as shovels stay away from QSAC

The controversial QSAC site is unlikely to see any construction work before November, as it threatens to hurt the Queensland election campaigns of the major parties. Here’s what it means for the planning of the 2032 Olympics.

• Analysis: Truce offers hope for QSAC rethink

Construction on the controversial Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre is unlikely to start before the state election as Premier Steven Miles and Opposition Leader David Crisafulli push for an end to political bickering over the 2032 Olympic Games.

Development of a business case followed by detailed planning work has prompted the state government to acknowledge shovels are unlikely to be in the ground at the QSAC Nathan site before October 26.

The revelation comes as both sides of politics call for a truce over the 2032 Olympic Games, with both Labor and the LNP seeking desperately to minimise the Games as an election issue that could lose them votes.

An independent delivery authority will be established within months to lead the planning of Games-related infrastructure amid growing acknowledgment politicians should step aside.

State Development Minister Grace Grace said she was “more than happy” to engage the opposition about how the independent authority should be established.

Both sides of politics are calling for a truce over the 2032 Olympic Games.

“That gives us an opportunity as it goes through the committee process to discuss what both sides want out of the delivery authority,” she said. “I think if we can come to an agreement we can make adjustments to the bill. We can then enact the legislation to set it up and hopefully have bipartisan support going forward on how we deliver these venues.”

Mr Miles said he had reached out to Mr Crisafulli about the government’s plans for the 2032 Games.

Mr Crisafulli this week called for a truce, declaring planning for the Games should be done by that independent authority and not leaders seeking election.

“I’m asking for politicians to step to the side,” he said. “Let’s remove it from the politicians who’ve created the mess.”

The lack of demolition and earthworks at QSAC before Queenslanders head to the polls, however, could provide the opposition with an opportunity to tear up the project if it wins government.

Ms Grace acknowledged more work needed to be done to understand “exactly what is required” to make the QSAC stadium work and address cost estimates in an independent review by Graham Quirk.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli. Picture Lachie Millard

“There’s a question mark over about $1bn and we’re going to use the expertise of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), their infrastructure experts, to come in and to talk about what exactly was the additional funding that was mentioned in the review and how do we best deliver for that facility,” she said.

“It will take whatever time it needs to really land on what it is and then go out to tender.

“That is going to be an outstanding athletics venue for the Olympic Games.”

The LNP has pledged – if it wins government – to fix planning for the Olympic Games within 100 days of the October 26 election.

Mr Crisafulli said the independent delivery authority would be tasked with recommending venues and undertaking due diligence.

It could result in another change to Brisbane’s Olympic venue masterplan more than three years after winning the Games.

Labor and the LNP acknowledge planning for the Games has become a divisive issue among Queenslanders, with both sides carefully managing their position ahead of the election. Support for the Games has fallen since they were awarded in 2021.

It is a more divisive topic in regional Queensland, where Labor and the LNP are hopeful of holding or picking up seats to form government in October.

The state’s Games planning was thrown into chaos last week when Mr Miles rejected Mr Quirk’s review that warned against spending $1.6bn to make QSAC the athletics arena.

The IOC this week said it would not step in to dictate how Brisbane should plan the Games and said there’s “no reason to start panicking” about uncertainty over venues.  

Following the second annual meeting of the Coordination Commission for Brisbane 2032, IOC Commission chair Kirsty Coventry poured water on the chaos engulfing the government over the Games.

“There’s really no reason to start panicking at this point,” she said. “At some point, the federal and state and the cities that are being used for the Games will hopefully come to an agreement sooner than later on what they feel is best.”

Ms Coventry said the IOC would not “dictate” venue master planning to the state government.

“We’re always there to help with the technical side of things and to give advice but it’s not for us to step in and give direction in a regional development for the government,” she said. “We don’t have a concern at this time and we will not be stepping in.”

IOC Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi said the commission would not speculate on future decisions stakeholders may make.

“What happens during the next election belongs to the future,” he said. “Let’s not speculate, let’s be pragmatic. There is a lot of work to do and the plan is extremely clear at this point in time. Let’s roll the sleeves, do this work (and) bring as much detail to all the questions that are being asked.”

Mr Miles revealed the Brisbane Arena at Roma St was the project he wants to “get cracking on” now a location has been secured.

The first tenders for $500m worth of 2032 Olympic Games venues on the Sunshine Coast and Chandler will be put to market within weeks, while other smaller venues could go before the end of the year,

“The arena is the one that we need to get cracking on. Now that we have a site there will need to be some work done to identify what changes need to be done to the plan,” Mr Miles said. “As well as how we can connect the new site to Roma St station. Once that work is done I know the Australian government is eager for us to get those tenders out.”

Originally published as Push for Olympic truce as shovels stay away from QSAC