Stadium opponents fear Victoria Park land sell-off to developers
Opponents of the planned Olympic stadium in Victoria Park have warned that legislation hastily passed through parliament would allow excess land around the stadium to be sold to developers; The Queensland government denied that claim on Friday.
As amendments to the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games Regulations Bill passed through parliament on Thursday night, Labor complained that the opposition had been given just 10 minutes to consider the change.
“I do not recall any consultation regarding the conversion of DOGIT [deed of grant in trust] Opposition Olympic and Paralympic Games spokeswoman Grace Grace said: “We are not entering freehold land at any stage.”
“Is this how the government will pay for the explosions it allocated? [Brisbane 2032 president] Andrew Liveris? Is that what all this means?”
It was a fear echoed by anti-stadium campaigners Save Victoria Park on Friday. Spokesperson Rosemary O’Hagan said the law means the park could be subdivided and “sold to the highest bidder.”
“Put the political rhetoric aside and it’s clear what these new changes are actually designed to do,” he said.
“This is about removing checks and balances and stripping away community rights. It lays the foundation for a free-for-all private development in one of Queensland’s oldest and most important heritage green spaces.”
O’Hagan said the real estate industry has “revolved around the park” for decades.
Victoria Park was previously state land held by Brisbane City Council under a grant agreement for park purposes. This trust was revoked and replaced by title granted to the Games authority.
Speaking on the Sunshine Coast on Friday morning, Deputy Prime Minister Jarrod Bleijie moved to calm those fears.
“Well, but it was always the state [owned]and it is still the state, because GIICA is an instrument of the state government,” he said.
“Games’ Independent Infrastructure Coordinating Authority, so I’m not sure who’s accusing anyone of selling anything.
“There are absolutely no plans for this.
“All it does is an administrative mechanism that changes the mandate to GIICA, so now they can plan and deliver what they need to do.”
Greens MP Michael Berkman remained sceptical.
“There is nothing preventing any future iteration of this government or any other government from using it for other purposes,” he said.
“If it is in the hands of GIICA, why should it not fall into the hands of private developers in the future, even if it is used only for the purposes suggested by them?”
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