Brisbane 2032 Olympics: Qld to seek more federal transport funding

Queensland will be seeking more funding from the re-elected federal Labor government to pay for 2032 Games transport infrastructure.

Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister Jarrod Bleijie on Sunday. Picture: Lachie Millard

Queensland will be seeking more funding from the re-elected federal Labor government to pay for 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games transport costs, Infrastructure Minister Jarrod Bleijie has revealed.

And the state government appears to like its chances, based on the capitulation of Canberra on Bruce Highway funding — which it will fork out an 80 per cent share — and the landslide federal Labor win just over a week ago.

But the size of the transport infrastructure package is unknown, with Mr Bleijie describing the suite of projects as broad.

His comments come just days after Premier David Crisafulli promised there would be no double-dipping from the state on the infrastructure funding pot for the 2032 Games.

Mr Bleijie said the state government would be lobbying the federal Labor front bench — once the new ministry was locked in — to seek funding for transport infrastructure.

“We’d love them to come to party, 50:50 funding… we’d love them to come to the party as they have done with venues, the master plan, with Sunshine Coast Direct Rail Stage 1,” he said.

“Once the new minister is announced and it’s fully loaded, the first meeting I’ll be having is with the Infrastructure Minister federally, the Sport Minister federally… and we’ll start those negotiations and discussions.

“But I’m very confident the federal government want to see this as an absolute success for Queensland.

“And I would hasten to say, that the federal government may be a little more interested in Queensland now they did pick up some seats.”

The 2032 Games venues budget is a combined $7.1bn, $3.4bn of which will come from the federal government.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has repeatedly insisted the federal government’s contribution is capped.

Mr Bleijie said $7.1bn was for venues and transportation was always separate.

“So too I might add, were the (athletes’) villages: the Gold Coast villages, Sunshine Coast village, and the Brisbane village,” he said.

Mr Bleijie also indicated the state government would seek the $2.5bn in federal funding for the now-scrapped Brisbane Arena be reallocated as the negotiations over the intergovernmental deal got under way.

Originally published as Brisbane 2032 Olympics: Qld to seek more federal transport funding