Stadiums, infrastructure and now athlete villages are part of Queensland’s ongoing Olympic Games finger-pointing saga as the state government alleges costs have blown out.
The new Liberal National Party government has accused its Labor predecessors of a multi-billion-dollar funding hole for athlete accommodation.
Labor has denied the claim and questioned the government’s figures.
On Wednesday, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said figures from his department and treasury indicated the four athlete villages, including one on the Sunshine Coast, would cost $3.5 billion to build.
Those numbers indicate only $155 million has been allocated to build streets and paths for the proposed villages, leaving a $3.345 billion shortfall.
The locations across Brisbane, Kooralbyn, the Gold Coast and also Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast, are now expected to cost half of the total Games funding envelope, according to the state government.
“That’s treasury and my department’s figures. That’s what it’s going to cost,” Mr Bleijie said.
“If the athlete villages continue in those four locations, as planned by the former Labor government, it’s going to cost Queenslanders $3.5 billion.
“Under Labor’s plan the state were going to fund $3.5 billion, but the state never budgeted for it.”
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The former Labor government allocated $410 million across the forward estimates for a village at Brisbane’s Northshore Hamilton.
Business cases for other locations have not been completed.
The Sunshine Coast village was set to be delivered as part of the already-planned Maroochydore city centre.
About 1400 athletes and officials were expected to be the first to use the new facilities and the buildings were likely to provide about 350 permanent dwellings after the event.
Deputy opposition leader Cameron Dick questioned how the government came up with its multi-billion-dollar figure.
“The truth of the matter is the villages have no business cases, no project validation reports, no commercial input and, of course, there’s no other details,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
“Only Jarrod Bleijie can release to you how that number has been determined.”
Seven years out from the 2032 Games, the LNP government is deep into a 100-day independent infrastructure review slated to finally determine a venue blueprint. Some planned sports venues on the Sunshine Coast are being reconsidered.
The seven-member independent review body is expected to release its findings in early March.
A separate review headed by former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk in 2024 proposed building a $3.4 billion centrepiece stadium at Victoria Park, which the Labor government rejected.
Instead, Labor preferred an upgrade of ageing facilities such as the Gabba, Suncorp Stadium and the 49-year-old Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, sparking a public backlash.
Brisbane was named the 2032 Games host city in July 2021.
