The Queensland Government is facing serious allegations of greenwashing and concealing the true environmental cost of its planned centrepiece stadium for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane.
"Catastrophic Loss" of Heritage Parkland Alleged
In March, Premier David Crisafulli's government announced Victoria Park, in Brisbane's inner north, as the site for a brand-new, 63,000-seat stadium costing $3.6 billion. The decision ended years of speculation over Brisbane's marquee Olympic venue, a debate that spanned three premiers since the host city announcement in July 2021.
However, the announcement was met with immediate backlash from community and environmental groups. Critics argue the project will cause a "catastrophic loss of heritage parkland" and have labelled newly released government imagery as deceptive "greenwashing."
"This latest tranche of greenwashed computer imagery is not real," said Rosemary O'Hagan, spokesperson for the community group Save Victoria Park. "What's real are the ancient trees, rolling hills, and native wildlife the government intends to obliterate for what could become one of history's most environmentally disastrous Olympic Games."
Broken Promise and Fast-Tracked Review
The controversy is compounded by a broken election promise. Premier Crisafulli had initially vowed not to build any new stadiums for the Games. After fast-tracking a review into venue options—including upgrading existing facilities like the Gabba—the government reversed its position.
Crisafulli defended the decision, stating the review revealed major works at the Gabba were not feasible within the inherited timeframe. "In the end, the choice was clear," he said, promising "generational sporting infrastructure for 2032 right across Queensland."
The stadium design will be led by Australian architecture firms Cox and Hassell, with assistance from Japan's Azusa Sekkei.
Legal Challenges and Planned Protests
Opponents dispute the government's urgency and justification. Save Victoria Park claims it was advised the Games Independent Infrastructure and Co-ordination Authority (GIICA) plans to "send in excavators sooner rather than later," despite unresolved legal issues.
O'Hagan highlighted that applications for the park's permanent protection under the federal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act are currently being evaluated. "Why would they start bulldozing trees prior to these critical legal issues being resolved?" she asked.
The group also contends that up to 66 per cent of the park could be impacted by construction, and that the business case relies on "tables of subjective dot points" from reviews led by property industry lobbyists.
In response, a new protest against the stadium development has been scheduled for January 31 at Victoria Park.
"We would say to the Premier: there is still time to go back to the original Olympic brief," O'Hagan urged. "Adapt the Games to Brisbane, and not the other way around... We can have both stadiums and a heritage park — just not in the same place."
