Legislation passed to exempt venues for Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games from major planning laws

The Queensland Government has passed legislation to ensure all venues built for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be exempt from major planning rules meaning final planning sign-off will rest with the state government, rather than local councils.

The exemption aims to ensure projects are not held up by potential legal challenges.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the laws were vital for Games delivery, allowing for development at sites including Brisbane's Victoria Park.

Deputy Premier Bleijie advised "you're going to see a lot of work in a very short period of time, there'll be excavators, there'll be tractors, there'll be bulldozers, there'll be yellow vests.

"There'll be shovels being turned across the state."

As reported in the ABC, Andrea Lunt from Save Victoria Park, a group against building a stadium at the site, said the laws would not stop them from protecting the green space and shared "we were expecting it, but we're still incredibly disappointed, but we're not deterred, we'll continue to fight this no matter what gets thrown at us.

"The park is too important to lose. It's such a precious natural asset to Brisbane.

"If you're thinking about showcasing Brisbane for the Olympic Games, you'd think we'd protect and enhance such a beautiful natural asset, not cover it up for stadiums."

According to the ABC, Queensland Conservation Council director Dave Copeman said the government had ignored hundreds of submissions from the community and key stakeholders and noted "we firmly believe that any development, for the Olympics or otherwise, should be rigorously assessed and held to a high standard on First Nations engagement, community benefits and nature protection.”