Senate inquiry calls for ‘urgent review’ of Queensland Government’s $2.7 billion Gabba redevelopment

The Queensland Government is to continue with its $2.7 billion redevelopment of the Gabba Stadium for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, despite a Senate recommendation to review the process.

An interim report from the Senate Inquiry into Australia’s preparedness to host Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games and the cancellation of the 2026 Commonwealth Games has suggested the Queensland Government consider other options for the main venue for the 2032 Games.

The findings from the inquiry, chaired by Senator Matthew Canavan, recommended the range of governments and bodies involved in the planning of Brisbane 2032 “urgently review the decision to host athletics events at the Gabba stadium”.

The interim report added “the review should consider the feasibility of alternative options, including using existing infrastructure, and work to find a solution that is acceptable to these communities.

"It may also be unwise and inappropriate for the Government to insist that a redeveloped Gabba host the athletics for the Games."

However, Queensland Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe dismissed the notion of considering other venues, advising that the interim report contained factual errors and provided no new insight into the delivery of the Games.

The report includes suggestions for alternative options such as hosting athletics at “Carrara at Queensland Sport and Athletic Centre (QSAC), 10 kilometres from the city”.

The Carrara Stadium is on the Gold Coast, more than 70 kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD.

Minister Hinchliffe noted “I didn’t learn massively new things through the process but we welcome all those people who are interested in making sure that the Brisbane 2032 Games are delivering great things for Queensland.

“When you look at the interim report and you read it carefully and you note the factual errors that are in it, I trust that some of those are probably typos or rushed to get the interim report out in a certain time frame - I’m not sure what that was.

“I didn’t learn anything greatly new out of this report.”

He added that the Queensland Government had “moved completely away” from a proposal to construct a stadium in Albion and was committed redevelop the Gabba, noting “the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games represent a transformational opportunity for Queensland, much bigger and much more extraordinary in terms of the transformation than anything we’ve seen or experienced before.

“We’ve got to grasp that opportunity and make sure that it delivers well beyond the event and take the vision to see what is not only a stadium redevelopment, but is a precinct redevelopment of the whole the Gabba area.

“The Gabba is the way in which we will deliver a world class experience not just for the Games but for Queensland and for Brisbane for decades to come.”

The report also suggested that "State Governments should not use major events as an excuse to fast-track already-planned urban development against the wishes of their citizens and local communities, and without due diligence.”

The Committee was also concerned about the proposal to build an expensive Whitewater Centre at Redland, proposing facilities purpose-built for the Sydney Games as a cost-effective option.

Recent polling by YouGov has found that 59% of Queenslanders are no longer excited by the idea of hosting the 2032 Olympic Games and don’t trust the Queensland Government’s ability to keep it on budget.

By comparison only 36% of those surveyed showed any form of excitement.

Images: Concepts for the proposed Gabba redevelopment for the 2032 Summer Olympic Games. Credit: Supplied.