Latest news with #Crisafulli
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Blinding hypocrisy': Laws to fast track 2032 Olympic projects come under fire
Controversial Queensland laws to fast track 2032 Olympic projects have come under fire, with the Crisafulli government told to 'go back to the drawing board'. An environmental group says the laws to help ensure Games infrastructure is built on time set a dangerous precedent, detracting from the inclusivity that 2032 organisers hope to create. The clock is ticking for the Games after the state government finally confirmed its venue blueprint in March – more than 1300 days after Brisbane was named host city. A bill has been introduced to state parliament giving the Games infrastructure authority power to override 15 planning laws, including the Environmental Protection, Queensland Heritage and Nature Conservation acts. The laws, which will cover all venues and athletes' villages, are set to ensure construction is not delayed by potential legal challenges, with the final planning sign-off given to the state government – not local councils. The bill will also require renewable energy developers to undertake community consultation. But in submissions heard on Tuesday, the Queensland Conservation Council took aim at the government's 'blinding hypocrisy'. 'It is incredibly inconsistent that this bill is trying to apply greater consultation to renewable energy projects and literally ripping up any process for community consultation on our existing laws for Olympic facilities,' the council's Dave Copeman told the hearing.
The Age
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
‘Blinding hypocrisy': Laws to fast track 2032 Olympic projects come under fire
Controversial Queensland laws to fast track 2032 Olympic projects have come under fire, with the Crisafulli government told to 'go back to the drawing board'. An environmental group says the laws to help ensure Games infrastructure is built on time set a dangerous precedent, detracting from the inclusivity that 2032 organisers hope to create. The clock is ticking for the Games after the state government finally confirmed its venue blueprint in March – more than 1300 days after Brisbane was named host city. A bill has been introduced to state parliament giving the Games infrastructure authority power to override 15 planning laws, including the Environmental Protection, Queensland Heritage and Nature Conservation acts. The laws, which will cover all venues and athletes' villages, are set to ensure construction is not delayed by potential legal challenges, with the final planning sign-off given to the state government – not local councils. The bill will also require renewable energy developers to undertake community consultation. But in submissions heard on Tuesday, the Queensland Conservation Council took aim at the government's 'blinding hypocrisy'. 'It is incredibly inconsistent that this bill is trying to apply greater consultation to renewable energy projects and literally ripping up any process for community consultation on our existing laws for Olympic facilities,' the council's Dave Copeman told the hearing.
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Brisbane's biggest park on the chopping block: 63,000-seat Olympic stadium to take over Victoria Park
Once promised as the city's major new green space, Brisbane's Victoria Park is now set to lose the majority of its land to Olympic stadium construction, new research reveals. Premier David Crisafulli in March announced plans to build a new 63,000-seat stadium at Victoria Park for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He said the decision was made after a review of infrastructure options, revealing major works at the Gabba could not be completed in time, and emphasised hosting the Games at Victoria Park was the best choice for Queensland' s interests. The new stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as athletics events — becoming the centerpiece of the Games. Post-Games, it is expected to serve as Brisbane's new home for cricket and AFL. Concerns have been raised about the loss of green space, heritage values, and the adequacy of infrastructure to support the new stadium. Critics argue the development will significantly impact the 64ha park, with some estimates suggesting at least 58 per cent of the park will be affected. A preliminary analysis by sustainable development researcher Dr Neil Peach, commissioned by advocacy group Save Victoria Park, paints a stark picture of the impact of the Brisbane Olympics 2032. He used government-issued visuals of the proposed stadium overlaid with Perth's Optus Stadium — a 60,000-seat, 14-storey venue similar in size to that planned for Brisbane. 'This is an extremely hilly, challenging landscape, in a high-traffic area next to Queensland's largest hospital — you can't simply plonk mega venues here,' Save Victoria Park spokesperson Rosemary O'Hagan said. She criticised the government's promotional images as 'nothing more than architectural artifice' and demanded clarity on how much public land will be lost and the true cost of the project. 'Where are the sprawling plazas, the bridges, the towering retaining walls, and the extensive amenities that will be required to cope with tens of thousands of people at a time?' O'Hagan said. 'Where are the multiple carparks and connections to roads and train stations that have been promised?' Crisafulli stated the choice to host the games in the park was clear: 'It became a choice between the embarrassment of hosting the Games at QSAC (Queensland Sport and Athletic Centre) or a new stadium at Victoria Park. 'The Games must be held at a new stadium at Victoria Park. 'Any other choice would have meant placing the government's interests ahead of the interests of Queensland.' Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner had sought to ease concerns about green space loss after Crisafulli's announcement in March. 'The construction elements that are proposed, including the stadium and the swimming complex, will only take up a fraction of the green space,' Schrinner said. He described the stadium as a 'world-class sporting venue' and 'an asset for Brisbane for decades to come'. Meanwhile, community group Save Victoria Park has fiercely opposed the development, warning of irreversible damage to Brisbane's green heart. 'There are — and always have been — other viable options: flat, less challenging sites not listed on Queensland's Heritage Register,' O'Hagan said. Despite official assurances, critics argue the government has yet to fully disclose the true scale of parkland loss or offer a clear plan for preserving Brisbane's largest inner-city green space.
The Age
4 days ago
- Business
- The Age
‘Tasmania, we're coming for you': 20-year tourism plan to make Queensland No.1
The Crisafulli government has announced a 20-year plan for the tourism industry, with the state's tourism minister suggesting Queensland would rival destinations such as Tasmania and New Zealand by 2045. Destination 2045: Queensland's Tourism Future includes six strategic priorities to build Queensland's tourism industry, with plans to expand ecotourism, attract world-class events, create a fund to entice direct flights to new markets, rejuvenate the Great Barrier Reef islands and boost marketing. The first 45 ecotourism projects to be delivered include the Thorsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island; the Wangetti Trail, north of Cairns; the Whitsunday Skyway in Airlie Beach; the Ngaro Trail on Whitsunday Island; and upgrades of day use areas in Lake Eacham and Springbrook National Park. The LNP government opened public consultation for Destination 2045 in December. Loading On Monday, Premier David Crisafulli and Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell unveiled the resulting plan, calling it 'a visionary roadmap to supercharge the state's industry into a new era of growth, innovation and global leadership'. 'We know we live in an amazing part of the world, and what this is about is unlocking opportunities for people to deliver a tourism product and for people to be able to work in the industry as we open up this great state to the globe,' Crisafulli said. India has been identified as a 'burgeoning market' for Queensland to tap into. 'And the best way to we can do that is by bringing a direct flight into Brisbane,' Crisafulli said. Powell said the focus on ecotourism would promote visitation and conservation of unspoilt natural areas.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Tasmania, we're coming for you': 20-year tourism plan to make Queensland No.1
The Crisafulli government has announced a 20-year plan for the tourism industry, with the state's tourism minister suggesting Queensland would rival destinations such as Tasmania and New Zealand by 2045. Destination 2045: Queensland's Tourism Future includes six strategic priorities to build Queensland's tourism industry, with plans to expand ecotourism, attract world-class events, create a fund to entice direct flights to new markets, rejuvenate the Great Barrier Reef islands and boost marketing. The first 45 ecotourism projects to be delivered include the Thorsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island; the Wangetti Trail, north of Cairns; the Whitsunday Skyway in Airlie Beach; the Ngaro Trail on Whitsunday Island; and upgrades of day use areas in Lake Eacham and Springbrook National Park. The LNP government opened public consultation for Destination 2045 in December. Loading On Monday, Premier David Crisafulli and Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell unveiled the resulting plan, calling it 'a visionary roadmap to supercharge the state's industry into a new era of growth, innovation and global leadership'. 'We know we live in an amazing part of the world, and what this is about is unlocking opportunities for people to deliver a tourism product and for people to be able to work in the industry as we open up this great state to the globe,' Crisafulli said. India has been identified as a 'burgeoning market' for Queensland to tap into. 'And the best way to we can do that is by bringing a direct flight into Brisbane,' Crisafulli said. Powell said the focus on ecotourism would promote visitation and conservation of unspoilt natural areas.
