Concerns over Sunshine Coast hosting Brisbane 2032 Olympics events
Fears are growing the Sunshine Coast will not be ready to host Olympic events in 2032 if lagging accommodation and infrastructure projects continue to be pushed back.
Sunshine Coast
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A Sunshine Coast politician has revealed concerns about a crucial heavy rail line from Brisbane falling short of the Maroochydore CBD as the state and federal governments continue to scrutinise the project.
The comments come as some of the region’s businesses and residents question how prepared the Sunshine Coast would be for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games if infrastructure, accommodation and marketing projects do not start now.
Member for Kawana Jarrod Bleijie’s concerns have been revealed as the Sunshine Coast Rail project comes under federal scrutiny as part of Labor’s review into the $120bn infrastructure pipeline.
When in power, the Morrison government had committed $1.6bn to fund heavy rail from Beerwah to the Maroochydore CBD and the project still needs a commitment from the state government.
A state government spokesman said the state and federal governments were working on a $6m jointly funded costings study, which was “on track” for completion later this year.
Mr Bleijie, the Member for Kawana, said he was hearing rumours that the state government was “looking at” extending the line from Beerwah and finishing it at Caloundra instead of Maroochydore.
“I’m fearful as every day goes by we’re going further and further from having it delivered,” he said.
Member for Maroochydore Fiona Simpson also said the heavy rail line must reach Maroochydore.
Ms Simpson said without the legacy of good infrastructure, the 2032 Games would cost regional Queenslanders dearly.
“It will be an albatross around the necks of taxpayers not only in this region, but in neighbouring regions,” she said.
A state Labor spokesman said the government was making a “record level of investment” in public transport infrastructure and services across the Sunshine Coast.
“Preconstruction design contracts have been awarded for the 20km track duplication from Beerburrum to Beerwah, increasing capacity on the rail network between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast,” he said.
“The LNP did absolutely nothing on heavy rail on the Sunshine Coast when last in power under Campbell Newman and David Crisafulli,” the spokesman said.
“Andrew Wallace and the Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison government did nothing during a decade in power on a direct Sunshine Coast rail line also known as CAMCOS.”
Palmwoods resident Graham Simmons said he would have liked to have seen the heavy rail project completed 20 years ago.
“That will just be pushed back forever,” he said.
“It made sense then and it would have been half the cost.”
He said the 2032 Games, however, would be “a good thing” for the region and economy.
“Whether we are prepared is another thing … but we might get away with it,” he said.
Sunshine Coast accommodation
Ms Simpson called on the Sunshine Coast Council to look at how Brisbane, under Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, had attracted hotels into its central business district and replicate it here to ensure enough accommodation in time for the 2032 Games.
She said without an adequate number of hotel rooms, more people would enter the short-term accommodation market and even fewer houses would be available for Sunshine Coast residents.
“We’re seeing an economic and humanitarian housing crisis,” Ms Simpson said.
A Sunshine Coast Council spokesman said the council was in the process of preparing a new planning scheme that would “set the vision” for the Sunshine Coast to 2041.
The spokesman said the council was also “progressing” a record number of development and building applications including the approval of nearly 940 lots and the creation of more than 2600 new lots in 2021-22.
He said more than 7200 building and “development-related” applications were lodged with the council.
The spokesman said the council had introduced rates categories in 2018-19 that meant property owners who offered their properties to holiday-makers contributed through their general rates.
“The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games are expected to further lift our region’s profile and generate demand for a range of permanent and short-term accommodation types,” he said.
Earlier this year, plans were unveiled for an upgrade to the Kawana sports precinct, including plans for an indoor sports centre, to host Olympic events.
Eleven courts, 6000 seats and a long-awaited Sunshine Coast stadium expansion plan were revealed, but questions remain about the future of legacy infrastructure for the new Maroochydore CBD.
In Mooloolaba, one of the closest existing tourist hubs to Kawana, Deb Baker owns three clothing and homeware stores.
Two are in an arcade on the Esplanade.
The business owner of about 15 years said her suburb was “getting left behind” as a tourist destination.
“Noosa gets pushed big time but as for the Sunshine Coast, no one really knows Mooloolaba,” she said.
Ms Baker said the Sunshine Coast was not yet ready to host Olympic events.
“I don’t think we have the accommodation, we certainly don’t have the transport here, getting back and forth from Brisbane and is (the 2032 Games) going to benefit the area?,” she said.
“Long-term, I don’t know about that.”
Mooloolaba Chamber of Commerce president Graeme Juniper said Mooloolaba needed more accommodation, and more than unit-type accommodation.
“There’s definitely an urgency, when you want to introduce new hotels into the community these things don’t happen overnight,” he said.
The president said heavy rail was a necessity to reduce road traffic from Brisbane.
Marketing
The president also said marketing plans to promote Mooloolaba needed to start now to ensure the hub was not a “hidden secret” in the years leading up to 2032.
“We need to be there in lights and need to be seen,” Mr Juniper said.
“We need that promotion as one of the best beaches on the coast.”
He said marketing plans took years to implement.
“This needs to be thought about by our politicians and they need to get moving on it,” Mr Juniper said.
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Originally published as Concerns over Sunshine Coast hosting Brisbane 2032 Olympics events
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