100-day Review of Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Infrastructure

The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games are a once-in-generation opportunity to shift our global arts and culture standing. With sustained and collaborative policy planning, they have the potential to achieve lasting cultural, social, and economic benefits for Queenslanders and Australians.

In this submission, ANA is pleased to provide information relevant to the following stated objectives in this Review’s Terms of Reference:

• Assess connectivity and integration
• Evaluate deliverability
• Maximise long-term benefits
• Assess Games governance

Assess connectivity and integration

ANA encourages the Authority to consider current and future cultural precincts as areas where venue and transport connectivity could achieve higher long-term benefits. This is consistent with the focus area of Brisbane 2042 legacy Strategy Elevate 2042, “Creating more great places and precincts,” which focuses on creating liveability across Brisbane and south-east Queensland, including through arts and culture. Cultural precincts include:

• The South Bank cultural precinct, which continues to grow on the foundations of World Expo 88, where over 16 million visitors celebrated Australia’s bicentenary.https://www.museumofbrisbane.com.au/collection-inspection-world-expo-88/
• Emerging precincts such as the Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct in Logan
• Planned projects such as the James Street Cultural Precinct

ANA also suggests the Authority collaborates with the federal and other government agencies to implement the recently released National Urban Policy. This policy highlights the importance of accessible transport networks as well as spaces for arts, culture, recreation and sport.Commonwealth of Australia, “National Urban Policy” (Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, November 2024), 19, https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/national-urban-policy.pdf This collaboration would help pursue two of the focuses of Elevate 2042: “A more connected and accessible South East Queensland” and “Creating more great places and precincts.”

Evaluate deliverability

ANA highlights the potential for financial returns on investment from venues, as well as lasting impacts, from cultural and creative activities. Two examples demonstrate this potential:

• The Sydney Superdome arena constructed for Sydney 2000 Games, now operating as Qudos Bank Arena. It has hosted a total audience of 15 million (equal to the Australian adult population in 2000) and 1,800 shows, spanning music concerts, musical theatre, school spectaculars, religious services, and sports.See https://qudosbankarena.com.au/australasias-no-1-arena-celebrates-25-years-of-live-entertainment and https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/jun-2024#data-downloads It is also the home to the Sydney Kings and Sydney Flames national basketball teams.
• Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Record setting Taylor Swift events contributed to financial boon for MCG operator Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC). The Taylor Swift crowds were equivalent to three AFL grand finals and contributed to a net profit of $32m (up from $5m the year before) and paying off $37 million of debt in full from the MCG’s Northern Stand redevelopment, over two years ahead of the due date.https://www.mcg.org.au/_/media/mcc-annual-report-2023-24-final.pdf In recognition of these contributions, the MCC featured Taylor Swift on its 2023/24 Annual Report cover.

Maximise long-term benefits

The updated enabling laws for the Authority highlight the importance of delivering legacy benefits to all of Queensland, including regional areas. ANA encourages the Authority to factor in not only regional areas but also outer suburban areas in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast when considering long-term benefits.

There are specific plans to grow outer suburban areas in the years before and after Brisbane 2032. For example, the Brisbane City Housing Supply Action Plan identifies key areas for future housing supply that are outside of inner-city areas, including Chermside, Wynnum, Carindale, Upper Mount Gravatt, Indooroopilly, and Lutwyche.Brisbane City Council, “Brisbane’s Housing Supply Action Plan – Brisbane City Council’s Plan to Get More Homes Built Sooner,” 2023, https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2023-10/20231023-Brisbane%27s-Housing-Supply-Action-Plan-2023.pdf

However, many of these areas currently lack cultural and social infrastructure. Analysis from the National Growth Areas Alliance shows that residents in outer-metropolitan suburbs have “significantly lower rates of access to… important third spaces across arts & culture (44%) and sports & leisure facilities (68%).”National Growth Areas Alliance, “Population Boom & Gloom: Infrastructure Funding Fails Fastest Growing Communities,” 2024, https://www.ngaa.org.au/population-boom-gloom-infrastructure-funding-fails-fastest-growing-communities

Assess Games governance

ANA encourages the Authority to continue collaboration with federal and southeast Queensland local governments on venue and transport infrastructure planning and delivery for Brisbane 2032. As Brisbane 2032 Games delivery partners, they are essential to unlocking the potential for lower cost and reuse of infrastructure where possible, under the International Olympic Committee’s ‘New Norm’ model. ANA also encourages the Authority to continue evaluating projects with regard to the lasting outcomes identified in Elevate 2042.