Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

I thank very much the member for Moreton for his question and commend him on his ongoing work on the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and ensuring that they are a success and that they leave a lasting legacy across the community. Of course, these games will be the largest event to be ever held in Queensland. For two weeks the eyes of the world will be on Brisbane, and across that fine, fine state of Queensland, as the best athletes in the world go head to head for the race to gold. Brisbane 2032 will be another opportunity to show the world just what Australia can do but it has to do more than that, it has to provide a lasting benefit. That's why this government is partnering with the Palaszczuk government to secure infrastructure projects that will have a long-term and transformational impact on Queensland as we count down to 2032.

The Queensland government will fund the $2.7 billion redevelopment of the Gabba, while the federal government will provide $2.5 billion for the Brisbane arena development. Sixteen new or upgraded venues will receive close to $1.87 billion in co-funding on a fifty-fifty basis between the two governments. The Brisbane arena is planned to be built within the Roma Street precinct with easy access for people of all mobilities to the city bus network.

But, of course, I'm asked about what the legacy is of the previous government when it comes to the Olympics and that can be summed up in two words: absolutely nothing. The previous government did not commit a single cent to the Brisbane Olympics. I went looking, when we came into government, to see where the was money for the Brisbane Olympics. What we inherited from the previous government was one line in a letter committing the Commonwealth to fifty-fifty funding. I went looking. I thought, 'Is it in the previous May budget? Is it in the contingency reserve?' You would think someone, a Queenslander maybe on ERC, would have thought, 'Maybe you need to put some money in the contingency reserve for this commitment to the biggest event ever for Queenslanders.' But what was there? Zilch, nothing, not a single cent provisioned for the Brisbane Olympics. The other side of the House are full of talk on this. The member for Fairfax may still spruik whatever make-work job he had made up for himself, but the reality is that their last budget did not commit a single cent to this event, not a single cent. What we inherited from the previous government was one line in a letter: no funding.

We know how important the Olympics are to Queensland. The Olympic flame is going to be lit in 2032. Brisbane will be ready and it will be no thanks to those opposite.

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