'The eyes of the world will be watching': Cate Campbell's passionate plea as Brisbane 2032 brawl lingers
Cate Campbell believes reviews into the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games are "wasting taxpayer money" and has urged the new Queensland premier to orchestrate an event that will still be benefitting the state in 40 years' time.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli confirmed last month that the 100-day infrastructure review he had flagged, which could lead to the redevelopment or rebuild of the Gabba, would go ahead.
Crisafulli has insisted publicly that he would not sign off on the construction of a new stadium, such as the $3-3.4 billion Victoria Park venue recommended by former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, but there is evidence of Crisafulli making moves behind the scenes regarding a Victoria Park facility.
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Steven Miles said on his campaign trail, which ultimately led to the end of his reign as Queensland's premier, that he would not agree to a rebuild or redevelopment of the Gabba and he would not commit to the construction of a new stadium, instead declaring the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC) in Nathan would be renovated.
Crisafulli routinely admonished Miles over his QSAC plan and insisted there was no chance he would take that path.
From left: Bronte Campbell, Meg Harris, Emma McKeon and Cate Campbell celebrate winning gold in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay at Tokyo 2020. Clive Rose/Getty Images
Australian swimming legend Campbell, a proud product of Brisbane, weighed into the drama on Nine's Today.
"It's been really, really interesting watching the battle ground for the Brisbane Olympics happening and it's been playing out in politics," Campbell said.
"Now, hopefully, that we are on the other side of the Queensland election we can see some focus start to happen. There has been a lot of talk and there has been no action so far.
"... It is going to require bipartisan support, and it's going to require more action, less talk and fewer reviews. I think that those reviews are really eating into the budget and really wasting taxpayer money."
Quirk, the former Brisbane lord mayor, argued against the rebuild or redevelopment of the Gabba in his findings from a 60-day review commissioned by the Labor government during Miles' time as Queensland premier.
Quirk said a Gabba refurbishment would cost in excess of $1 billion and would not "improve the capacity or functionality of the stadium", nor "materially enhance spectator or stadium-user experience".
Quirk also estimated a Gabba rebuild would cost $3 billion, as well as $185-360 million in displacement costs to compensate the AFL and cricket, and said a rebuild would not "deliver to the full brief of an international-standard stadium" because of the limited amount of land available in the area.
Quirk said a new stadium at Victoria Park with a capacity of 50-55,000, which would host athletics during the Olympics and Paralympics as well as the AFL and cricket for many years beyond the Games, would make for a "better value-for-money outcome for Queenslanders than any other option assessed".
"The investment in a greenfield stadium is desirable, defensible and deliverable when compared to the proposed Gabba redevelopment project or QSAC Stadium redevelopment," the Quirk review said.
New Queensland Premier David Crisafulli. Photograph Joe Ruckli | Australi
Campbell stressed that venues used for Brisbane 2032 would ideally still be in use decades down the track.
"We want these venues to be in place for the Olympics, but then for the future of South-East Queensland, as well. We want in 20, 30, 40 years for those legacy venues to really be there and for people to want to come and visit," Campbell said.
"We want performers to come, we want big sports events to come so that South-East Queensland can really reap the benefits not just of the Games, but in the legacy that they can leave for years and years to come."
Commentating for Nine in Paris, Campbell saw up close how France had tackled the Games.
"... The eyes of the world will be watching and that is one of the things that the Olympics does; it brings the world to you," said the four-time Olympic gold medallist.
"We saw that Paris really shone, and this is a real opportunity to put Brisbane on the global map. Where else would you be able to mention Paris, which obviously had the 2024 Olympics, LA, which has the next Olympics, and Brisbane in the same sentence? ... This is a huge opportunity for Brisbane, for South-East Queensland. We know that this region is only going to grow."
