Brisbane Locals Asleep While Olympic Plan Steals Victoria Park
While Olympic chief Andrew Liveris desperately insists “Brisbane is no hillbilly town” to the International Olympic Committee, the locals are sure acting like it.
The self-proclaimed sophisticated city is standing by with thumbs firmly up bums as the 2032 Olympic ‘Delivery Plan’ rams through the biggest theft of public land in Queensland’s history, well since colonisation at least.
Victoria Park – that lush, heritage-listed patch of green with century-old trees and more wedding photos than a Kardashian hard drive – is officially on the chopping block. Yep, Brisbanites, your go-to semi-formal hotspot is about to be bulldozed in the name of “The Olympics.”
The government’s glossy new plan makes no apologies about ramming a monstrous 63,000-seat stadium into your parkland.
So much for that election promise of “no new stadiums,” eh? Funny how those words disappeared faster than Gabba’s future.
And guess who’s getting a shiny new playground at your expense? The Brisbane Lions and Queensland Cricket are laughing all the way to the corporate boxes. The plan proudly boasts that “this venue will also be where future Brisbane Lions, the Brisbane Heat and the Queensland Bulls teams call home.”
What brilliant timing for these sporting organizations to score billion-dollar facilities! They’ll rake in the gate takings, corporate sponsorships, and broadcast deals while the Queensland taxpayer foots the construction bill and lost parkland.
Speaking of the Gabba – Brisbane’s sporting heart for 130 bloody years – they’re knocking it down for “housing and an entertainment precinct.” Translation: developer mates need fresh projects on prime real estate. Affordable housing? Yeah, good one. Your sporting history? Perfect landfill.
Now for the real facepalm.
The silence from Brisbanites is louder than a Sunday morning mower. Most seem more worried about getting the right milk in their flat white than the quiet gutting of public land. While you’re flicking through the Courier Mail – yeah, that Murdoch-owned mouthpiece for developers and political spin – community groups like Save Victoria Park are actually fighting for what’s left. A battle you can’t be arsed to join.
Let’s talk cold, hard facts that should make your blood boil.
- The plan explicitly shows Victoria Park being transformed into “Brisbane Stadium,” a venue that will host events for a few weeks in 2032 before becoming the permanent home of the Lions, Heat and Bulls – with the public paying for the stadium while private sporting organizations reap all the benefits.
- Crisafulli’s mob promised “no new stadiums” during election time. File that under ” lies Liberal politicians tell while doorknocking.”
- The $650 million aquatic centre at Spring Hill is another vanity project that will drain public coffers while offering minimal community benefit post-Games.
- They’re keeping up the charade of a “$7.1 billion funding envelope” – a figure that will blow out faster than a Queensland storm front.
- The Row the Fitzroy? They’ve included the Rockhampton venue despite the crocs and substandard competition conditions.
Even former Premier Campbell Newman – no friend to environmentalists – is supporting legal challenges to protect green spaces. When Campbell Newman sounds like the voice of reason, you know you’re truly up Olympic sized shit-creek.
Brisbane, wake the hell up.
This isn’t about a few weeks of Olympic glory – it’s about who owns our public spaces and why professional sporting organizations get free stadiums while public housing waitlists grow longer by the day.
But hey, at least you’ll have a world-class view of where your trees used to be.
