Emma Comer (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The countdown to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is well and truly underway. What we do between now and then will shape not only the success of the games themselves but the legacy we leave for generations of Queenslanders.

I'm proud to say that the Albanese government is meeting this moment with ambition, partnership and responsibility. We are delivering the largest contribution towards sporting infrastructure in Australian history. This once-in-a-generation investment is designed to ensure the Brisbane 2032 Games are world class, community focused and built to stand the test of time. Just like the Matildas, we're not going to stop 'til it's done.

Our capped $3.4 billion commitment to the Games Venue Infrastructure Program has now been formally agreed with the Queensland government. Under our agreement, the Commonwealth and Queensland governments will work together to deliver 17 new or upgraded venues plus the construction for a new stadium. These projects stretch from Cairns in the Far North, through regional Queensland, right down to the Gold Coast. This will be a truly statewide Games with statewide benefits.

Our joint funding will deliver the National Aquatic Centre, an expanded Queensland Tennis Centre, a new Toowoomba Equestrian Centre and a dedicated para sport centre in Chandler. We are supporting indoor sports centres in Logan and Moreton Bay, upgrades to the Sunshine Coast Stadium and major improvements to Barlow Park in Cairns. Thanks to our investment, procurement of these projects can now get under way, giving local industry certainty and creating jobs.

Of course, this builds on the work we've already done, including our investments in the Redland Whitewater Centre, the Brisbane International Shooting Centre and the world-class Anna Meares Velodrome. These aren't just Olympic venues. These are community assets—places where kids can learn to swim, where clubs can train, where families can gather and where future champions will take their first steps.

But let me be clear: while we're proud to make this investment, we are not handing over a blank cheque. Every dollar of Commonwealth funding must stack up. This is why we require robust project validation before final funding is confirmed. We're doing our due diligence to ensure that every project is delivered on time, on budget, in a way that represents genuine value to taxpayers. For the Brisbane Stadium in particular we have set strong conditions. The Queensland government and Brisbane City Council must develop a new precinct plan for the Victoria Park area that prioritises access to green space, supports local amenity and includes a comprehensive stakeholder engagement plan. They must also produce a transport connectivity plan to ensure the precinct is accessible, sustainable and efficient during the Games and beyond.

We know there are a range of views among Brisbane residents about the idea of a stadium in Victoria Park, and that's understandable. Victoria Park is a cherished open space with a long history. That is precisely why our funding conditions emphasise a genuine consultation with local residents, with First Nations communities and with all stakeholders who will be affected. The community must be heard and respected as these decisions are made.

In the past couple of months we have also signed a new intergovernmental agreement with the Crisafulli government, setting out how our two governments can work together to deliver the games. This agreement outlines the conditions under which Commonwealth funds can be used—including requirements to maintain stakeholder and community support—to deliver comprehensive engagement for the Victoria Park precinct and to ensure the Commonwealth representation on the Brisbane 2032 Olympics organising committee board. This is what responsible government looks like: partnering with the state, ensuring transparency and making sure that Australians get the greatest possible benefit from this historic opportunity. And, of course, our commitment to the games builds on the $12.4 billion the Albanese government is already investing in Queensland transport projects that will keep people moving during the games and for decades after. That includes $7.2 billion to upgrade the Bruce Highway, faster rail from Brisbane to the Gold Coast, and stage 1 of the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line project.

The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic games will be a defining national moment, but, more importantly, the games will shape the Queensland that we pass on to the future generations. Together with the Queensland government, we are working to deliver the venues, the transport links and the community facilities that will serve our state long after these games have gone. When all levels of government work together, we can cross the finish line and deliver. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and we are determined to get it right.

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