Steven Miles says Mike Kaiser likely ordered QSAC shadow review

Premier Steven Miles has revealed who “probably” asked for a “shadow review” into using QSAC for the 2032 Games at the same time as another independent review.

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Premier Steven Miles says it was “probably” his director-general Mike Kaiser who asked for an investigation into using the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre for the 2032 Games at the same time former lord mayor Graham Quirk was conducting his independent review.

Mr Miles made the revelation on Thursday after a federal Senate inquiry was told his government embarked on a “shadow review” while the former Brisbane Lord Mayor’s independent assessment of games venues – ordered by the Premier – was still under way.

State Development Department director-general Graham Fraine told the inquiry his department had been asked to investigate QSAC as an option well before the report was finalised – but also said he couldn’t remember who gave the order.

Asked on Thursday who that was, Mr Miles said it was “probably Mike Kaiser”, because it was clear Mr Quirk wasn’t going to deliver the Premier’s “preferred outcome”.

“About a week before we were receiving the draft report, Mr Quirk had advised that was likely to be his recommendation (to build a new stadium at Victoria Park),” Mr Miles said.

“I was inclined to think that wouldn’t be my preferred outcome.”

But Mr Miles also denied Mr Quirk had been blindsided by the move – as the former lord mayor told the inquiry – saying he had been well briefed by the public servants he was in contact with.

Premier Steven Miles (right) with his director-general Mike Kaiser

“I think he was very well aware that when I asked him to commission the review, the task was to find a cheaper alternative. It didn’t do that,” he said.

Mr Miles said the QSAC option had been brought up by the International Olympic Committee through John Coates, so it was “sensible, therefore, for us to work that up”.

“I anticipated that there would be significant pressure on us to have a position quite quickly after receiving the report,” he said, adding that was why the department was directed to undertake the work on QSAC behind the scenes.

Mr Fraine was on Wednesday grilled by a federal Senate committee hearing into the preparedness to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games about who directed his department to look into using QSAC for athletics.

While he confirmed the department had been directed, Mr Fraine could not recall who had made the instruction.

“When the government understood this is where the panel was headed (recommending a new stadium), it asked us to have a look,’ he said.

“We knew the panel had had a look at QSAC and come to a view, we knew through the input of the IOC and Mr Coates, they had a view.”

Originally published as Steven Miles says Mike Kaiser likely ordered QSAC shadow review