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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡
Saturday’s Legislative Assembly elections in the Australian state of Queensland saw a change in government after three terms of Labor Party rule, as the Liberal National Party (LNP) has won more than 48 seats, sufficient for a majority.
That means that Labor, which brought the 2032 Olympic Games to Queensland, is out of power and LNP is in, with leader David Crisafulli set to be the Premier, into 2028.
Why does this matter?
Crisafulli has been harshly critical of the decision by Labor Premier Steven Miles to support a A$1.6 billion refurbishment of the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC) to host track & field and possibly one or more ceremonies at the 2032 Games. Crisafulli said in September, criticizing Miles’ plan:
“[H]e knows it’s not the right option and he knows that Queenslanders don’t back it. QSAC is not the right venue. I haven’t met a Queenslander who thinks that’s either visionary or value for money, other than Steven.
“I don’t think there’s any scenario where any Queenslander looks at that plan and doesn’t see anything but cringeworthiness from a desperate government.”
However, the alternatives are far more costly:
● A renovation and expansion of the iconic Brisbane Cricket Ground – the Gabba – to 55,000 seats that would swallow a local school and take the venue out of action for a couple of years and cost A$2.7 billion (A$1 = $0.66 U.S.). The long-term beneficiaries would be the local cricket and football clubs, who are looking for a better venue.
● A totally new, 55,000-seat venue for the 2032 Games and the local teams, recommended by a commission asked to look into the issue by Miles, in Victoria Park and costing even more, at an estimated A$3.4 billion.
Crisafulli said in a Sunday news conference he sided with former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk – in office when the 2032 Games was awarded to Brisbane – who was in favor of the Gabba rebuild:
“I might just allow the former premier to be able to put her point of view across and I’ll put mine.
“And that is, within 100 days Queenslanders will see a plan that they are proud of and in doing so, we can restore faith in that process.”
Crisafulli has promised a 100-day review of the Olympic main stadium and Gabba future question once in office, and now has to deliver. He has not been in favor of the Victoria Park solution, preferring the Gabba rebuild.
All of this haggling is at the government level and does not directly involve the Brisbane 2032 organizing committee, headed by former Dow chief executive Andrew Liveris. He said in September:
“We’ve been very, very clear. I’ve been very, very clear that until we see numbers on QSAC there is no position Brisbane 2032 is taking.
“We need to know the cost aspect of what would be an athletic stadium. In terms of the Olympics and the delivery, we’re committed to a budget – $5 billion – and we’ve got to get that budget right.
“You just have to be in the [Paris] Stade de France, watching the sevens rugby with 80,000 people providing revenue and top sponsors providing revenue, to understand the power of having a right-sized stadium.”
“We have 2,865 days to get this right. Paris were still deciding on venues 600 days out. Los Angeles still hasn’t finalised many of their venues for many of their sports.
“So, please don’t panic. We’ve got this.”
But the political issues are not likely to go away, as Miles appears to be ready to continue as the head of Labor, ensuring a future argument over costs and benefits of more than A$1 billion.
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