Sophie Scamps (Mackellar, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in support of the motion brought on by the member for Ryan, and I thank the member for bringing this really important issue to the House. Brisbane and Australia have a huge opportunity ahead with the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic games. But with that opportunity comes a responsibility to plan well, to plan transparently and to plan with the people who will live with the outcomes and the infrastructure long after the closing ceremony.

We don't have to look far to understand what happens when Olympic planning goes wrong. Images of abandoned venues around the world are haunting reminders—vast structures, built at enormous expense, now rusting and empty. In Beijing the iconic birds nest dazzled during the games but has struggled ever since and is largely unused. Athens had little in the way of legacy planning, and many of its venues slipped almost immediately into disuse and disrepair. Even here, in Australia, Sydney's own Olympic Park offers lessons. Despite the excitement and the civic pride of the 2000 games, planning for post games was inadequate, and it was a heavily car-dependent destination from the outset. These shortcomings weren't inevitable but were the result of decisions made without deep community engagement or long-term vision. But there are positive examples too. London's planning for the 2012 games showed what's possible when you start early, listen carefully and think long term. Their games drove major regeneration; accelerated a city-wide transformation that was already underway; and engaged best-practice, environmentally sustainable development. Barcelona did the same for 1992, investing the majority of its funds not in sport but in lasting improvements to the city, successfully integrating a mega-event into long-term urban policy and planning. This led to a sustained economic and cultural benefit for the local community.

There are already concerning signs that Brisbane may be missing the opportunity not just to host a great games but to improve the city for decades. Brisbane's initial commitment to host the world's first climate positive Olympic Games has been quietly watered down already, with the phrase 'climate positive' removed from the contract and replaced with softer language. Experts and designers have warned that, without strong oversight, Brisbane risks falling into the same traps other host cities have faced—poor planning, design compromises and infrastructure that creates more problems than it solves.

There is a real opportunity here to invest in infrastructure that works for the games and continues serving local people well after 2032, both in Brisbane and around Australia. There's an opportunity to invest in sustainable mass transport, including zero-emissions buses and electric ferries; to create better walking and cycling links, especially for those first and last miles; to convert the athletes village into desperately needed social and affordable housing after the games; and, of course, to make sure small and medium local businesses benefit too.

This isn't just about Brisbane either. If we're serious about creating a lasting Olympic legacy, we need long-term planning across all our key sporting venues nationwide. The Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation in Narrabeen in my electorate of Mackellar, as an example, offers immense potential to be a world class facility for team accommodation, training and competitions across a multitude of sports including athletics, swimming, rowing, basketball and even sailing. This enormous site on the outskirts of Sydney has huge potential but remains rundown and underutilised. If we get the planning right, the legacy lasts. If we don't, we risk repeating mistakes that other cities and our own city have already lived through.

That's why meaningful engagement is absolutely essential. The Queensland government must genuinely engage with Brisbane residents, with local community groups and with experts in planning, architecture, sustainability and transport. The Australian Institute of Architects has put forward a comprehensive set of recommendations for the government, highlighting risks and also offering solutions. One of their key suggestions is the creation of an Olympics design integrity panel. It's commonsense and the kind of expert oversight that we should welcome. I welcome the member for Ryan's motion, and I support her call for the Queensland government to engage openly, to listen to the experts, and genuinely involve Brisbane communities in the planning for 2032.

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