Olympic aquatic centre may be cheaper than thought
Citing media comments by Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority chairman Stephen Conry that the pool complex would cost $1.2 billion, former Labor treasurer Cameron Dick grilled the acting GIICA chief executive, Nick Elliott, over the source of that figure.
'Was this $1.2 billion figure provided to the chair by the staff of the authority?' Dick asked.
Elliott said the estimate, which was 'very preliminary in nature', was an aggregate cost across a number of venues, some 13 kilometres apart.
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'It encompasses work required in the National Aquatic Centre, but also work required in the Chandler precinct,' he said.
The Crisafulli government announced the NAC, which would be built around the Centenary Pool at Victoria Park, when it released its 2032 delivery plan in March.
While competition venues had not been finalised, the Chandler precinct, for which GIICA trademarked the name Brisbane Sports Park, was slated to host several Olympic and Paralympic events, such as track cycling.
Elliott said the actual costs would not be known until the project validation process was completed, but the NAC's delivery would still be funded through the state and federal governments' $7.1 billion funding envelope.
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