Editorial: Brisbane has waited long enough for inner-city arena

Queenslanders will know within days the full plan for Brisbane 2032 venues. If an inner-city arena is not included, the state government must have a plan to ensure one gets built anyway.

One proposal for Brisbane Arena was that it sit adjacent to the Gabba, with access to Cross River Rail. Picture Supplied

Brisbane needs a new inner-city arena. That fact is not in dispute.

Brisbane is a world city and as such deserves to host the world’s best entertainment acts in a state-of-the art arena that is within walking distance to our thriving night-life, restaurants and transport network.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledges that fact, which is why he remains committed to spending $2.5bn of the federal government’s $3.4bn 2032 Games contribution on the Brisbane Arena.

“The objective (of funding the Brisbane Arena) is to provide a legacy so that big artists when they come to Australia want to play at a venue that is close to the city, that is world class,” Mr Albanese said earlier this week.

His signed commitment to the Brisbane Arena was made in February 2023 with the previous Labor state government.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remains committed to delivering funds for an inner-city arena. Picture: NewsWire/ Scott Powick,

But it now poses a significant problem for the Crisafulli government who, as it appears more and more likely, will not be including the arena as part of its venues masterplan to be unveiled on Tuesday at The Courier-Mail’s Future Brisbane event.

As we said in this column on Friday, Premier David Crisafulli now has just days to convince the Prime Minister that the money earmarked for Brisbane Arena can be better spent on other legacy venues like a National Aquatic Centre as revealed in today’s paper.

The Brisbane Arena was slated as the venue to host swimming – the premier event of the Games – with two temporary drop-in pools inside the 17,000 seat facility.

But there could be a way for the Premier to convince the Prime Minister to hand over the $2.5bn for other projects without giving up on the Brisbane Arena.

All is would cost him, or Brisbane City Council, is a slice of prime inner-city land.

If the Premier gets up on Tuesday and, as expected, announces a new stadium at Victoria Park as well as a host of venue upgrades like the Queensland Tennis Centre as revealed exclusively by the Saturday Courier-Mail last week – but sacrifices Brisbane Arena to do that – he must also announce that the state government will gift a parcel of land to private enterprise and that he will open a tender for a 17,000 seat Brisbane Arena development.

The best bid wins, as does the city of Brisbane.

An artist’s impression of a National Aquatics Centre proposed for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. Credit: Archipelago Architects.

The current proposal for Brisbane Arena is to have it at Roma Street Parklands. That could still be a possibility under this approach. So too, the site opposite the Gabba where the Cross River Rail station is being built.

Or there’s the land where the existing Centenary pool, and possibly the new Queensland Aquatic Centre is being proposed, as shown in the artist impressions in the paper today. That is where renowned architect Peter Edwards had suggested as part of his Brisbane Bold 2032 submission floated last year.

Gifting the land to the private sector comes at no cost to the government and they don’t have to foot the bill to build it.

What’s more, there’s already been financial backing from a private consortium led by ASM Global boss Harvey Lister who put a plan to Queensland Treasury back in 2016 but was rejected.

In three days, we will know the full venues plan and if it doesn’t include an inner-city arena, the state government must have a back-up plan to ensure it gets built anyway. We’ve waited long enough.

State shining again after cyclone

Once again, Queensland has shown it’s not only the best place on earth to live – it’s also home to Australia’s best tourist attractions.

Birdsville’s Big Red Bash took out the top gong at the Australian Tourism Awards last night, one of six Queensland operators to take home gold.

The Big Red Bash at Birdsville has won big at the Australian Tourism Awards. Picture: Matt Williams

The other five attractions show how diverse our offerings in Queensland really are – from a caravan park in the Whitsundays, to a lodge specialising in First Nations tourism on Cape York and luxury, five-star adults-only accommodation.

Our tourism industry has gone through a tumultuous period since the Covid-19 pandemic effectively shut it down in 2020. Through pure determination and resilience, tourism operators have weathered the storm – quite literally.

Earlier this month, Cyclone Alfred battered the South East Queensland coast, dealing an estimated $68m blow to the industry.

A multimillion-dollar tourism blitz has been launched to help claw back the disastrous impact, with hundreds of holiday deals and cheap flights on sale.

While that will no doubt encourage interstate tourists, Queenslanders should also take the opportunity to explore their own backyard to help our hard working tourism operators.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Melanie Pilling, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details are available at www.couriermail.com.au/help/contact-us

Originally published as Editorial: Brisbane has waited long enough for inner-city arena