As mentioned in September 2023 Noosa 360 update, the lack of a plan, the demolition and ensuing displacement of residents and students by redeveloping the Gabba, and inequities being experienced, led to Sandy and her fellow Crossbench MPs to releasing a unified statement on 23 May 2023.

In summary the Crossbench called for government to:

  • Formally cap the 2032 Olympic Games budget at no more than the current budgeted $7 billion.
  • Invest an equivalent spend in regions that won’t receive any Olympic infrastructure, to be invested in nation-building infrastructure projects.
  • Immediately make public the entire Host City contract and all relevant business cases for infrastructure and venues.
  • Direct the Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy or relevant department to develop and publish an Olympics housing plan to ensure that the Olympics do not drive-up housing costs and displacement, as has occurred in other host cities. In addition, as a legacy for Queensland, any built athlete accommodations must be transferred to either public housing or community housing providers after the Games.
  • Scrap the current $2.7 billion Gabba demolition and redevelopment, move the Olympic and Paralympic athletics events to a more appropriate location such as Carrara, as recommended by the IOC, and ensure that any Gabba upgrades avoid any detrimental impacts on East Brisbane State School, Raymond Park, and neighboring homes and businesses.

In reference to the call for any built athlete accommodations to be transferred to either public housing or community housing providers after the completion of the Olympic Games, Sandy asked a Question on Notice (QON) to the Premier last Parliament sitting which is below including their response.

Sandy’s QON

With reference to the Elevate 2042 report on the Olympic legacy which states that a potential outcomes indicator is the number of games infrastructure dedicated to housing post-Olympics— Will the Premier commit to all accommodations built for the games being transferred to social and community housing at the completion of the Games?

The Premier’s response

The Queensland Government is investing $5 billion in social and affordable housing supply, and housing and homelessness support. Under current commitments, including $322 million funding in the 2023-24 Budget for an additional 500 social homes, the Queensland Government has targeted delivery of over 13,500 social and affordable homes since 2015.

Hosting the Games at Northshore Hamilton is already seeing 20 years of housing development fast-tracked into just 10 years. By 2032, there will be some 4000 extra dwellings at Northshore Hamilton.

In addition, the Government is exploring opportunities to help accelerate development in and around the Athlete Villages at Brisbane, on the Sunshine and Gold Coast.

It is currently proposed that a diverse range of housing types will be delivered as part of the Brisbane Athlete Village, including social and affordable housing. The specific composition of housing types in the Brisbane Athlete Village and across the other Athlete Villages is yet to be determined.

The expanded Woolloongabba Priority Development Area will also help deliver thousands of new dwellings, before the Games.

After 2032, the athletes’ villages in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast will collectively deliver more than 2500 permanent dwellings. Innovative ways will be sought to repurpose the Villages and leverage Games-related precincts to increase the long-term supply of inclusive and accessible homes for local people.

This QON is available in the official Parliamentary record (Hansard) at https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2023/1497-2023.pdf

The Premier has also announced the co-ordination and delivery of the Olympics will now be completed by an Independent  authority. As advocacy progresses on the legacy of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, we will keep the community informed via Noosa 360 and on social media.

Further Information

For Noosa Electorate Residents wishing to directly advocate regarding the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, please email the Queensland Premier via premier@ministerial.qld.gov.au & the Minister for State Development via Industrialrelations@ministerial.qld.gov.au. Please cc’ our office in via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au, as well and forward any response you receive to us.

For our previous Noosa 360 updates on this, please visit www.sandybolton.com/?s=Olympics