Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games focus shifts to ensuring venues provide 'perfect' platform for athletes

Australia Broadcast Center

22-05-2025

Construction on major venues for the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games could start from next year, the 2032 organising committee president says, despite pressures on the building industry being a "concern".
This week the International Olympic Committee (IOC) coordination commission was in Brisbane for the first time, since the city was announced as host in 2021.
Newly-appointed coordination commission chair Mikaela Cojuangco-Jaworski said the venues plan announced by the state government in March provided a clear framework.
"The focus now shifts to collaboration with the international federations to assess the technical details of the proposed venues to ensure they provide the perfect platform for the world's best athletes," she said.
Brisbane 2032 president Andrew Liveris said the venues would need to be finished "well in advance", with completion by 2031 "ideal".
He said the current pressures on the construction industry and availability of accommodation were a "concern".
"This is an all government problem and we are going to be one of many that go to the queue."
The coordination commission visited sites in Brisbane and the Gold Coast as part of its meeting, including Victoria Park, which will be home to the new 63,000-seat stadium.
To build the venues, the state government has introduced a bill to parliament to give the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority power to override 15 planning laws.
This includes the Environmental Protection Act, the Planning Act, the Queensland Heritage Act, the Local Government Act, and the Nature Conservation Act.
Ms Cojuangco-Jaworski said the changes were about "fast tracking, and not circumventing".
Mr Liveris said the privately-funded Brisbane Arena at Wooloongabba, which the government went to market for this week, would not be needed for the Games.
Work is set to begin shortly on finalising the sport program for the Games.
Brisbane 2032 chief executive Cindy Hook said the organising committee had been approached by more than a dozen international federations.
"We will take a very fair and transparent process to evaluating those to what we can handle, what is relevant and what will have great follower-ship and ignite this nation," she said.
"I just want to be realistic, we probably won't add the same six sports that LA did."
The additional sports for the 2028 Games are baseball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, squash and softball.
A survey seeking the public's input on the vision for the Games has been launched today.
Mr Liveris said that the eventual vision would guide every aspect of Games planning, with a number of guidance documents already established to help develop ideas and creativity.
"In seven years' time, the eyes of the world will be on our country and we want to ensure that no matter where you are or where you're from, our collective Games Vision is one of hope, motivation and inspiration," he said.