Olympic 2032 chiefs throw open billions for business

Laine Clark and Andrew Stafford | October 8, 2025

The 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games have been declared open for business as the first of hundreds of procurement contracts worth billions of dollars are thrown open by organisers. 

More than 50 opportunities were identified as Olympics boss Andrew Liveris launched the first tranche of a procurement program on Wednesday.

Games Minister Tim Mander called on small and medium-sized businesses to throw their hats in the ring.

“We’ve seen great sporting success in Brisbane and Queensland more generally over the last few weeks and there has been a real buzz about that success,” he said.

“Now we want our small (and) medium-sized business to also experience that buzz.”

The contracts worth more than $2.5 billion are expected to be handed out in the lead up to 2032.

Outside Wednesday’s media event, a small group of Save Victoria Park protesters waved placards after releasing a report that predicted the 2032 main stadium was unlikely to be completed in time.

Brisbane’s Victoria Park is earmarked to become the 2032 Games hub, hosting a $3.7 billion, 63,000-seat main stadium along with a nearby national aquatic centre.

“The state government wants us to believe the planned demolition of Victoria Park for two Olympic stadiums and a warm-up track is inevitable – it’s not,” Save Victoria Park’s Sue Bremner said.

“To those firms looking to get involved in this destructive project, we would say in the strongest possible terms: reconsider.

“It’s a high-risk proposition on so many levels. Not only is it fraught with practical and reputational risks, it drags our city backwards, both in terms of valuing our environment and reconciliation with First Nations peoples.”

Two legal applications relating to the proposed Victoria Park stadium were being considered by the federal environment and water minister, Ms Bremner said.

They were lodged under section 10 of the Commonwealth’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act “in an effort to preserve what is one of Brisbane’s most important First Nations cultural sites”.

Mr Mander said the group had a right to protest. 

“We live in a democracy and it’s great that people can do that freely and safely and we respect their opinion, but we are committed to Victoria Park,” he said.

An Indigenous advisory board was being assembled headed by Kaanju athlete and former Olympian Patrick Johnson, the Australian 100-metre sprint record holder.

“We will be seeking their advice on a whole range of different matters with regards to the Games to make sure that there is a First Nations voice,” Mr Mander said.

An earlier requirement that at least one member of the board be an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person was removed by legislation in July to “streamline” decision making.

The clock is ticking to construct the 2032 venues after Queensland’s Liberal National government finally unveiled its blueprint in March, more than 1300 days after Brisbane was named the Olympic host.

The state government has backed its venue plan after fast-tracking legislation to override 15 environmental and heritage acts to speed up the 2032 build.