Mr PERRETT (Gympie—LNP) (3.27 pm): I rise to speak on the Major Sports Facilities
Amendment Bill 2022. The Major Sports Facilities Act establishes Stadiums Queensland as the
authority responsible for managing, operating, using, developing and promoting facilities in
Queensland. Currently there are 10 major sports facilities which are able to hold national and
international sports, recreational, entertainment and special events. This bill aims to implement
recommendations from the Stadium Taskforce interim and final reports and modernise the legislation
overseeing Stadiums Queensland.
The objective is that the legislation will support Stadiums Queensland to become a more
contemporary, agile and responsive agency. The Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport advised
the committee that these objectives are particularly important as, ‘Queensland prepares to host the
Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.’ At the public briefing, the deputy director-general of
the department, Andrew Sly, told the committee that ‘it is timely to revisit the role of this important
statutory body in the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games’.
It has been 4½ years since the government established the Stadium Taskforce in April 2018. It
received the final report four years ago, in November 2018. It is only now that the government has
chosen to take some action. Four years to implement the recommendations of the task force shows the
government is setting a slow pace to prepare for the Olympics, which is 10 years away. We have not
yet seen a clear and coherent plan for sporting venues for the games. We have not yet seen a plan for
the associated infrastructure required to support the games. There is nothing.
Global events such as the Olympic Games provide a once-in-a-lifetime chance to host sporting
events and build legacy projects. The games also provide a once-in-a-lifetime chance to promote
regions for tourism and business opportunities. There is no reason why regions such as Gympie cannot
benefit from the Olympics. We are situated within the catchment for whatever happens in the south-east
corner.
Last year I asked the Premier to advise what sporting, community and transport infrastructure,
including upgrades of current facilities, will be considered for the Gympie electorate. The Premier
advised that she would work with our region and community to ensure legacy benefits from the games
are released for the region. We have seen nothing so far.
The Stadium Taskforce final report states—
A key purpose of stadiums is to attract events to provide community, social and economic outcomes to the state or region.
A multiuse sport and entertainment facility in Gympie should be brought forward and be part of the mix.
The report also states—
Regional stadiums are important public and community assets that form part of the social fabric and desirability of an area.
That type of infrastructure will benefit locals and community, cultural and sporting groups as well
as increase opportunities for economic growth and development. I have raised the need for this with
ministers, but we have seen nothing so far.
Some of the amendments in the bill are to reduce the minimum number of Stadiums Queensland
board meetings from 12 to nine times a year; allow the minister to approve the acquisition of a sports,
recreation, entertainment or event/exhibition facility; and allow the minister to give Stadiums
Queensland a written direction about the performance of its functions or exercise of its powers. It is
concerning that, at a time when ongoing and urgent action is needed to build and prepare sporting
infrastructure for the 2032 Olympics, the government is legislating that the Stadiums Queensland board
can meet less than it already does.
During the committee’s considerations, much was made about meeting the social and community
benefits raised in recommendations in both the interim and final task force reports. Investment in
community facilities and services is essential for the social wellbeing and economic prosperity of
regional communities. Strong communities are magnets for investment growth and economic
development. The Stadium Taskforce final report states—
The Queensland major sports facility portfolio is unique in Australia, as evidenced by three of Stadiums Queensland’s venues
being located in regional cities.
A major finding of the interim report was that, while there are additional costs in having facilities
in regional areas, especially away from densely populated areas along the coastline, the uniqueness of
the Queensland portfolio provides excellent community assets that can be accessed by residents of
those regions.
As we are focusing on major sporting facilities in the bill, many regional sporting facilities face
enormous hurdles. I wrote to the Premier advising that sporting clubs were among the most affected
during the three floods that Gympie has experienced this year. They were among the first buildings to
go under water. The financial and social repercussions are enormous. The Stadium Taskforce final
report proposed that—
To reduce pressure for new stadiums, government should consider new regional event attraction funds to increase sporting and
events in regional locations.
Not only were many sporting facilities directly impacted by and sustained serious damage during
Gympie’s floods but also a historical lack of high-quality sporting facilities disadvantages many in the
Gympie region. It forces students, their parents and supporters to travel hundreds of kilometres to attend
training, games and representative matches. Several clubs are being forced to share sporting grounds,
with game nights extended until very late on week nights and games shortened to accommodate the
demand. This cannot be sustained and it is very unfair to players, students, families and clubs.
The Olympic Games can be the catalyst for growth for everyone if it is done right. Internal Labor
Party squabbling over who gets responsibility to build what means that everyone will lose out. It is time
the government got on with its job. I support the bill.