Funding deal inked & procurement begins for 2032 Games venues

The Queensland and Australian Governments have reached a new agreement that will deliver critical and generation infrastructure for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as a lasting legacy for future generations of Queenslanders. 

The Australian Government’s $3.435 billion contribution to the $7.1 billion Games Venue Infrastructure Program will be refined and reallocated to ensure the delivery of legacy infrastructure for 2032 and beyond. 

“The Sydney 2000 Games left an incredible legacy and many Australians have memories that have lasted for decades, and will last for decades more. We are ready to deliver a Brisbane 2032 Games that will leave the same incredible legacy for Queensland. 

“The Australian Government’s commitment of $3.4 billion towards the Games venues is the single largest contribution any Australian Government has made towards sporting infrastructure in this country. 

“The world’s biggest sporting event is coming to Brisbane, and this investment and renewed agreement shows the Australian and Queensland Governments’ commitment to making it one of the best games ever,” Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said. 

The two levels of government will work together to deliver 17 new and upgraded venues across Queensland, including the main Games stadium at Victoria Park and the National Aquatic Centre. 

Site investigations including environmental studies, geotechnical assessments, engagement and cultural heritage assessments will soon get underway on the two flagship projects. These early works will also inform the design and delivery of the Victoria Park stadium and National Aquatic Centre at the heart of the 2032 Games’ precinct. 

The main stadium at Victoria Park will host the opening and closing ceremonies during the 2032 Games alongside athletic events. It will also become the new, world-class 63,000-seat home to AFL and cricket in Queensland and attract major national and international events, leaving a lasting legacy beyond the Games. 

To support this new partnership, the State Government will ensure engagement with stakeholders and the community throughout the delivery of the program and develop a plan that optimises green space at Victoria Park. 

“The Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games will be an extraordinary moment for Queensland and Australia. 

“The Albanese Labor Government is committed to making Brisbane 2032 a great Games that will also provide an enormous mental and physical health boost for our nation. 

“We have also invested recird funding for high performance including doubling our investment in our Paralympians and revitalising the AIS so we have more athletes with more opportunities to achieve their best in 2032,” Federal Minister for Sport Anika Wells said. 

On the other hand, the revised Minor Venues Program will now include new projects such as a National Aquatic Centre, a Toowoomba Equestrian Centre, a dedicated para-sport facility and an expanded Queensland Tennis Centre. 

There are in addition to projects that were previously allocated federal funding, including the new Redland Whitewater Centre, the Anna Meares Velodrome and BMX track, and Brisbane International Shooting Centre. 

Procurement for minor venues has been launched for four key Games venues across Queensland. This includes the Logan Indoor Sports Centre, Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre, Barlow Park Stadium upgrade and Sunshine Coast Stadium upgrade. 

These projects are jointly funded with the Australian Government, which was confirmed in the recent State Budget. 

“Today’s landmark agreement is the beginning of a new partnership that sets the pathway to deliver 2032 as the best Games ever. 

“We’ve also launched procurement on four key projects to kickstart the delivery of world-class venues in the 2032 Delivery Plan. 

“I can also announce that we will start site investigations at Victoria Park for Australia’s most exciting sporting precinct that will be home to the new main stadium and the new National Aquatic Centre. 

“With our State Budget still hot-off-the-press, the Queensland Government is already activating our investment in generational Games infrastructure including funding for the immediate delivery of venues in Moreton Bay, Logan, Cairns and the Sunshine Coast,” Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning and Minister for Industrial Relations Jarrod Bleijie said. 

The new landmark agreement between the two governments has been reached following project validation work which assessed that these projects can be delivered on time and on budget, represent a good use of taxpayer dollars, and will benefit Queensland for decades to come. 

As part of the 2032 Delivery Plan and the new funding agreement with the Australian Government, projects in Logan, Moreton Bay, Cairns and the Sunshine Coast have been locked in including: 

Logan 

• A brand-new indoor sports centre 

• A share in the $250 million Games On! Program with upgrades to grassroots community clubs 

Moreton Bay 

• A brand-new indoor sports centre 

• A share in the $250 million Games On! Programs with upgrades to grassroots community clubs 

Cairns 

• Major upgrades to Barlow Park Stadium including a new grandstand with a permanent seating capacity of 5,000 to support Cairns attracting major event hosting opportunities like football 

• The opportunity for the Cairns Convention Centre to host events 

• The opportunity to host sports including football and cricket 

• Major upgrades to the Cairns Arterial Road between Redlynch Connector Road and the Captain Cook Highway 

• Bruce Highway upgrades as part of the joint $9 billion investment between Brisbane and Cairns 

• Leveraging the 20-year tourism plan for initiatives like Wangetti Trail 

• A share in the $250 million Games On! Programs with upgrades to grassroots community clubs 

Sunshine Coast 

• Upgrades to the Sunshine Coast Stadium in Kawana Sports Precinct 

• Upgrades to the Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre 

• Transformation of the Maroochydore City Centre with a new Athlete Village, arena and cultural precinct 

• Delivery of The Wave – a seamless public transport connection wll the way to the Sunshine Coast Airport, with direct rail from Beerwah to Birtinya, and metro from Birtinya to the Sunshine Coast Airport via Maroochydore 

• A share in the $250 million Games On! Programs with upgrades to grassroots community clubs 

“The Queensland Government is investing in world-class sporting infrastructure and getting on with the job of delivering a Games for all of Queensland. 

“We want 2032 to be our most successful Games yet and that starts at our grassroots clubs which is why we are investing in our grassroots clubs through our $250 million Games On! To ensure there is a lasting legacy across the state,” QLD Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander said. 

These proejcts will ensure the 2032 Games delivers critical and generational infrastructure for Queensland and Australia long after the closing ceremony. 

This builds on the Australian Government’s $12.4 billion investment in transport projects that Queensland has identified that are not only necessary for the Games, but will also leave a lasting legacy beyond the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

The projects include critical upgrades to the Bruce Highway from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast, faster rail from Brisbane to the Gold Coast, and Stage 1 of the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail that links Beerwah and Caloundra. 

“Since the 2032 Delivery Plan release, GIICA has made great strides across all 17 Authority venues. The planning is well-advanced, bolstered by invaluable technical inputs and expertise from various specialists during the 100 Day Review. 

“We are pleased at the certainty the $7.1 billion for Authority Venues has brought to this program and to the legacy for Queensland. 

“These procurement milestones mark the beginning of a transformation that will define Brisbane’s global identity. We’re not starting from scratch – we’re building on years of planning and community input. 

“Together with our Games Delivery Partners across Queensland, Federal and Local Governments, Brisbane 2032, the AOC and Paralympics Australia, we are poised to make remarkable strides and create lasting impact for Queenslanders,” Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) Chairman Stephen Conry said. 

Source: Queensland Government – Media Statements (1, 2, 3, 4, 5); Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government; Infrastructure Magazine