In 2021, Brisbane officially won the bid to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Since then, all levels of government have committed to pouring billions of dollars to prepare our city. But while the rhetoric from the government is about triumph and tourism, many locals are left wondering - in light of our unprecedented housing crisis - whether they'll be left worse off because of it. Fortunately, most of the spots earmarked for an Olympic upgrade aren't confirmed. The Queensland government is still relying on the Federal government to cover half the costs of the necessary work. That means we have some time to push all levels of government to mitigate the damage done to our community.
For more information on our proposals for the Olympics, how I am advocating for our community in parliament and for updates on the government's plans, go here: The 2032 Olympics & South Brisbane. Some of the most pressing local concerns are:
The Gabba Rebuild
The State Government has committed $1 billion to demolish and rebuild the Gabba as the main Olympic Stadium, increasing its capacity from 42,000 to 50,000. The state government is relying on the federal government to contribute half of the $1 billion price tag for the Gabba rebuild and the development will likely cost much more, and cause massive disruption to traffic, pedestrians and local residents. Some estimates put the cost as high as $2.5 billion.
The Future of East Brisbane State School
We are still in the dark about the future of East Brisbane State School, which sits right beside the stadium. In all modelling we have seen so far, the school seems non-existent. In fact, media have reported that architecture firms working on preliminary Gabba redesigns have been told they don’t need to retain the school in their plans. The heritage-listed school is more necessary than ever as the area densifies. For more information on the campaign to Save East Brisbane State School, go here: The Future of East Brisbane State School - Amy MacMahon - Greens MP for South Brisbane.
Saving Raymond Park
The plans to replace Raymond Park with a warm-up track were announced without any consultation. In an area that needs more public spaces, destroying this vital parcel of green space seems a step in the wrong direction. For more information on the community members who are fighting to Save Raymond park go here: Saving Raymond Park - Amy MacMahon - Greens MP for South Brisbane.
In the middle of a housing crisis, spending more than 2.5 Billion dollars, demolishing a local school and destroying essential parkland for a 2-week event seems like a very poor use of public money.
I will be continuing to work with the local community to develop a local Community Vision for the games and would love to get your feedback. What’s important to you? What would you like to see included?
Read the draft community vision statement here and then have your say here. Below you will find ideas on what we could be asking for from the Olympics. 