State environment department recommends heritage listing Victoria Park, but Olympic stadium will still go ahead
The state's environment department has recommended heritage listing the site for Brisbane's 2032 stadium, as the government prepares to pass legislation to override dozens of protections if they get in the way of Olympic venues.
Premier David Crisafulli announced a new Olympic and Paralympic Games stadium would be built at Victoria Park in March.
Just weeks later, Department of the Environment director Xanthe O'Donnell recommended expanding the park's heritage protection and revising the statement of cultural heritage significance.
The recommendation made to the Heritage Council described Victoria Park as "important in demonstrating the establishment and evolution of Queensland's early public recreation reserves".
The application will now be considered by the Queensland Heritage Council.
The government's bill, introduced earlier this month, will give the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) power to override 15 planning laws.
Deputy Premier and State Development Minister Jarrod Bleijie said the new legislation will allow the government to deliver Games infrastructure "on time and on budget".
"After more than 1,200 wasted days under Labor, we are getting on with the job of delivering a winning legacy for Queensland," he said.
"The decision to introduce these new laws was not taken lightly but they are necessary to make up for Labor's wasted three years, which require a specific streamlined approval process to implement the 2032 Delivery Plan."
David Hinchliffe, from Save Victoria Park, said the recommendation strengthened the group's argument against the stadium.
"To encompass the whole of the park is a major statement about the history and the importance of Victoria Park," he told ABC Brisbane Local Radio.
Mr Hinchliffe said the group was confident in its planned legal challenge to building the stadium at Victoria Park.
"The government ought to have a plan B in their back pocket, because it's not a lay down misère, it's not definite," he said.
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