Decision made on bid to stop Brisbane’s Olympic stadium
Laine Clark |
An attempt to stop construction on Brisbane 2032’s Olympic stadium has been knocked back by the federal government.
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt on Wednesday confirmed a bid to cease work on the Victoria Park venue site on Indigenous heritage grounds had been rejected.
The application – made under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act – allows the Commonwealth to declare long-term protection of a significant Aboriginal area.
Mr Watt is still considering three separate applications to stop work on the Brisbane Olympic site which is set to become the 2032 centrepiece, boasting a $3.8 billion, 63,000-seat main stadium.
The bid knocked back by the federal government related to “drilling and drilling-related infrastructure” within the proposed Olympic stadium and nearby National Aquatic Centre site.
“In accordance with federal cultural heritage law, I have decided not to make a declaration under section nine of the act,” Mr Watt said.
The federal minister instead appointed an independent mediator to work with the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority, along with community and Indigenous representatives.
“The purpose of the dedicated facilitator will be to avoid harm to cultural heritage, and inform any future decisions relating to the specified areas,” Mr Watt said.
“This decision follows consultation with interested parties and acknowledges the area is of particular significance to the Turrbal and Jagera people in accordance with their traditions.”
He said the mediator could inform his call on the three remaining applications to stop work at Victoria Park.
The Queensland government backed Mr Watt’s call, saying it was another step toward delivering a 2032 Games to “be proud of”.
“The Brisbane Stadium will deliver benefits long after the Games and along with other generational infrastructure across the state, will secure a winning legacy for Queensland,” Acting Deputy Premier Ros Bates said.
The Save Victoria Park group welcomed the mediator appointment but said Mr Watt’s decision to knock back the application was “by no means the end of the road” for protecting the site.
“Section 09 is designed for emergency intervention only,” the group said of the rejected application.
“Importantly, there are still multiple separate Section 10 applications for the long-term protection of the park being considered by the federal government.
“These involve a different legal test and a much more detailed examination of cultural heritage. That process is still underway.”
A January 31 community protest against the 2032 development has been organised by Save Victoria Park, a group Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie dismissed as “loopy” and “just a bunch of NIMBYs”.
Mr Watt’s decision comes barely a fortnight after an artist’s impression of the Victoria Park stadium, which will host the 2032 opening and closing ceremonies, was unveiled in Brisbane.
Mr Bleijie said at the time that site preparations were expected to begin mid-year.
AAP
