Opponents of the planned Olympic stadium at Victoria Park have warned legislation rushed through parliament would allow excess land around the venue to be sold off to developers – a claim the Queensland government dismissed on Friday.
Amendments to the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games Arrangements Act passed through parliament on Thursday night, as Labor complained the opposition was given only about 10 minutes to review the amendment.
“I do not recall any consultation around the conversion of a DOGIT [deed of grant in trust] into freehold land – at no stage,” opposition Olympic and Paralympic Games spokeswoman Grace Grace said.
“Is this the manner in which the government is going to pay for the blowouts that have been earmarked by [Brisbane 2032 president] Andrew Liveris? Is this what this is all about?”
It was a fear repeated by anti-stadium campaigners Save Victoria Park on Friday. Spokeswoman Rosemary O’Hagan said the legislation meant the park could be carved up and “sold off to the highest bidder”.
”Peel away the political rhetoric and it’s clear what these new amendments are actually designed to do,” she said.
“This is about removing checks and balances, and abolishing community rights. It’s laying the groundwork for a private development free-for-all in one of Queensland’s oldest and most important heritage green spaces.”
O’Hagan said the property industry had been “circling the park” for decades.
Victoria Park was previously state land held by Brisbane City Council under a deed of grant in trust for park purposes. That trust has been cancelled and replaced with freehold title vested in the Games authority.
Speaking on the Sunshine Coast on Friday morning, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie moved to assuage those fears.
“Well, but it’s always been state [owned], and it’s still the state, because GIICA is a vehicle of state government,” he said.
“It’s the Games Independent Infrastructure Coordination Authority, so I’m not sure who’s accusing anyone of selling anything off.
“There is absolutely no plans for that at all.
“All it is doing is an administrative mechanism, changing the tenure to GIICA so they can now plan and deliver what they are required to do.”
Greens MP Michael Berkman remained sceptical.
“There is nothing preventing future iterations of this government or any other government from repurposing it,” he said.
“If it is in GIICA’s hands, why could it not end up in private developer’s hands in the future, even if it is used solely for the purposes they have suggested?”
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