MELBOURNE: Since the time it was announced as the host city for the 2032 Olympics, the road so far has been far from ideal for Brisbane and Queensland. Uncertainty over venues, spiraling costs and other predicaments have led to some confusion. With the 100-day review nearing completion, TNIE with more...
Away from the hustle and bustle of the busy Brisbane streets - about 12 kilometres south of the city centre - Queensland Sports Athletics Centre is a sprawling sporting locality. Situated at the junction of Kessler Road and Mains Road, the sporting complex is home to the State Athletics Facility, Nissan Arena, High-Performance Facilities, Sandstorm Beach Volleyball Club and the main QSAC stadium.
The centre is vibrant and buzzing with activity.
Built for the 1982 Commonwealth Games, the main stadium has since hosted several historic events - sporting and non-sporting - in the last four decades. As recently as the first week of December, the venue was witness to the record run Gout Gout had at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships.
The Ipswich-Brisbane-born teen sensation ran 200m in 20.04s to break Australia’s oldest athletics record set by Peter Norman in 1968.
Currently the fastest in the world for 200m in U-18 and U-20 levels, Gout grew up at the QSAC facility. It is where, much like every aspiring athlete in Brisbane, he would turn up every day and train from a very young age.
The same facility, with a capacity of about 48,000, is the home of Matthew Denny, the Paris Olympics bronze medallist in discuss throw, who comes in and trains here almost every day.
In fact, of the 53 medals Australia won in the Paris Olympics, QSAC, Queensland Academy of Sport and the state itself cumulatively contributed to more than half of them (28). It is no wonder that there is an inimitable buzz in the air about the state and Brisbane getting to host the Summer Games eight years down the line in 2032.
At the same time, though steeped in history and heritage, QSAC, The Gabba, and all other sporting venues are yet to have a clarity on what kind of a role they are going to play in the 2032 Olympics. While Brisbane was confirmed as hosts in 2021, the road till now hasn’t been smooth. Since the announcement, several venues and development in terms of infrastructure in and around the city were being planned. But spiralling coast, like most Olympic venues, have been one of the main concerns. One among them was the refurbishing of The Gabba, however, it was given up with the cost estimates being much higher than anticipated.
With the original organisational budget was quoted at USD 4.45 billion, it is understood to have already surpassed that last year.
Even as the chaos and confusions continued, the new Queensland government that took charge this year has launched a 100-day review into the progress so far and how to take it forward. The seven-member committee Board of the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority are conducting the review of the planning, competition venues, transport and infrastructure needs, including the athlete villages needed.
The government. meanwhile, has created a portal where the Queensland people can submit their opinions on what they think is the right way forward.
The Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee, led by Chief Executive Officer Cindy Hook, had plans to use 15 existing venues, upgrade nine more, while building six new and five temporary ones for the Olympics and Paralympics, which is eight years away.
The Committee itself is self-funded at no cost to the taxpayer. And the 2032 event is expected to be the first Olympic and Paralympic Games to be fully planned and delivered under the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) New Norm reforms, with focus on optimisation, innovations revenue generation and partnerships.
However, as things stand, no venue listed in Q2032.au website can be sure of what is coming their way.
“The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee (Brisbane 2032) is working closely with our Games Delivery Partners, including the Australian and Queensland Governments, and the newly appointed Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority Board, to ensure preparations are on track,” a Brisbane 2032 spokesperson told TNIE.
Since the review was launched by the newly-elected Labour government, outgoing CEO of Cricket Australia Nick Hockley has sent a proposal to build a new stadium at the Victoria Park/Barrambin, which is listed as one of the temporary venues at the moment. Located at the heart of the city, the Victoria Park is a lush green space that is spread over 64 hectares.
From function space to golf course to cricket and tennis facility to just wide open walk trails and picnic spots, the park has everything a Brisbane resident enjoys.
Adding to that, Barrambin, as it is called in Turrbal language, the park also holds significance in Aboriginal cultural history. As one walks through the park comes a board that reads: “Early accounts of the area around Victoria Park/Barrambin describe it as an open woodland with a grassy understorey filled with sounds of birds…. Up to 1000 Aborginal people resided in camps on the ridges and used the original water source near here which has been recreated in the Lagoon in front of you.”
While the review is still ongoing, one cannot be sure how building a massive sporting complex in Barrambin will be perceived.
“Infrastructure decisions to benefit Brisbane and Queensland long-term are the responsibility of Governments, with the Queensland Government putting in place an Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority and Board to evaluate demand, affordability, deliverability and overall impact of infrastructure to maximise social, economic and environmental outcomes,” the Brisbane 2032 spokesperson added.
As for public opinion, while there is excitement around the games, the general feeling has been a sense of anxious frustration. ‘Show us some kind of plan’, ‘Get it started already’ seemed to be the mood among those who follow and are involved in sport. The picture will only get clearer as the 100-day review comes close in January.
For now, all every one involved has to say is whatever role they have, they are happy to play as it will only boost and help the city and state’s development.
Brisbane 2032, meanwhile, has this to say: “We are focused on a sports program that reflects the values of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements, is operationally viable, and supports Brisbane 2032’s commercial, sustainable, engagement and experience objectives. We’ve had strong interest from a range of sports, including cricket, wanting to be involved in our Games and we expect that interest will continue in the months ahead. We look forward to our sport program taking shape and presenting it to the IOC and IPC in due course.”
With less than eight years to go, Brisbane surely would want everything rolling and finalised in the next year or two.