A row is brewing between the Queensland government and sporting bodies over plans to upgrade Brisbane’s showgrounds to host AFL and cricket games while The Gabba is rebuilt.
The state government confirmed this week the Gabba would be demolished in late 2025 after the Ashes Test to rebuild the stadium ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
On Friday, the Queensland government announced it would commit $46m to create the temporary 20-000 seat stadium at Brisbane’s Showgrounds — but requested the remaining $91m cost be split between Brisbane city council, AFL and cricket authorities and the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland, which runs the annual Ekka show at the venue.
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Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said it was the most “cost effective” and “responsible” solution and called on the all parties to contribute.
Queensland’s Palaszczuk government has committed to a $2.7 billion rebuild of the Gabba to make it the centrepiece of the 2032 Olympic Games.
The Gabba’s current capacity of 42,000 will be increased slightly to 50,000, while the government has said it will be able to hold 80,000 for concerts and events so Brisbane isn’t overlooked by touring performers.
However during the four-year rebuild, the Brisbane Lions AFL team and the Brisbane Heat T20 team won’t have a have a home ground to play at.
The Lions have already floated the idea of selling their home games to the highest bidder, which could see them playing at ‘home’ in Perth.
Brisbane Mayor Adrian Schrinner wrote on social media: “We’re not contributing the ridiculous amount of money the State is trying to extort from Brisbane ratepayers for a new RNA stadium.
“While we may consider a small contribution, what’s currently proposed is a blatant attempt to rip off ratepayers to help cover their Gabba blowout.”
Queensland-based sport commentator Quentin Hull tweeted: “At first glance, the Queensland Government’s plan to upgrade the RNA – at significant cost to cricket & AFL – seems a terrible case of playing politics.
“Govt. happy to pay big for the Olympics but doesn’t want the public fallout of more money being spent on displaced sports.
Earlier this week, hundreds of angry Queenslanders have gathered outside the Gabba stadium to protest the demolition of the iconic Brisbane sporting venue.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles unveiled the plans for a new stadium, which is set to be the centrepiece of the $2.7 billion Brisbane 2032 Olympic infrastructure project.
The Gabba is set to be torn down and potentially rebranded as the East Bank in what has been described as Queensland’s biggest urban renewal since 1988’s World Expo.
Protesters called on Queensland Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk to rethink the development, arguing that the billions of dollars earmarked for the new stadium should be put towards the state’s housing and cost of living crises instead.
In March last year, there were farcical scenes when a top four AFL match between Brisbane and Melbourne was brought to a halt when the lights went out.
Similar power outages have occurred at the Gabba at various cricket matches in recent years,
The funding dispute comes amid the backdrop of Daniel Andrews’ Victorian government call to pull out as hosts as the 2026 Commonwealth Games that has left the international sporting competition in turmoil.
Aussie swimmers want new Brisbane pool
Meanwhile, Australia’s top swimmers this week shared calls for the Brisbane Aquatic Centre in Chandler to be upgraded ahead of the Brisbane Olympics as a legacy venue instead of the temporary pool planned for use in 2032.
The Brisbane Aquatic Centre will host next year’s Olympic swimming trials in June, but has previously been described by swimmers as gloomy and in need of a revamp.
Australian swimming legend turned administrator Mark Stockwell wrote in the Courier Mail this week: “If you are serious about broadening the economic base of Queensland through event tourism, serious about the health of this nation and serious about creating events so kids can see the pathway in their pool sports, you build the 10,000-seat Aquatics Centre.
“Let’s put money into that whole participation-inspiration-activity business with the vision of a new Brisbane Aquatics Centre. The multiplier is huge in so many ways.
“Swimming is Australia’s number one participation sport (and Australia’s most successful Olympic sport).
“Should it not be a beautiful piece of architecture for a 10,000-seat swimming venue? At one end, you put in the extra 5000 seats on a temporary basis for the Olympics and Paralympics.
“In staging the Olympics and Paralympics, the biggest legacies should be sporting and physical. That should be the No. 1 legacy, building the capacity of all the Olympic and Paralympic sports in this country.”
— With NCA Newswire