Five years after Brisbane secured the 2032 Olympics, this is the state of play

Five years on from Brisbane securing the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, industry experts say there is not a second to waste if the promises made are to be delivered.

The Queensland government's delivery plan for the Games would make you think there has been ample progress made since 2021.

Tucked away between the glossy pages is a timeline that shows the moment Brisbane's bid to host was successful to today, and that spans most of the graph.

The remaining distance, outlining what's to come before the opening ceremony, is short and devoid of detail, betraying just how many hurdles lie ahead.

Not captured is the construction of seven new sporting venues and upgrades to 10 more, within a $7.1 billion budget.

This comes at a time when the construction labour force is undersized, material costs are soaring, and fuel security is tenuous.

The government promises everything will be delivered on time and under budget but according to industry experts, that will require a strong relationship with the construction sector, which has splintered after recent stoushes with unions over industrial codes.

A COVID-era ray of hope

In 2021, people flocked to live sites across the state in their thousands and erupted in cheers when the rights were confirmed, and fireworks lit up the sky.

Then-premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her ministers promised there would be no white elephants. Over 80 per cent of proposed venues already existed, and only a further seven would need to be built.

The then-Labor government reinforced that an 11-year runway was plenty of time.

But now, five years down and six to go, there have been broken promises and little broken ground when it comes to the construction of new venues.

"So, while it might seem like six years is a long time, it perhaps is just the right amount of time if we get on with delivering these projects," Australian Constructors Association chief executive Peter Colacino said.

The past five years have brought the classic pre-game excitement and furore abundant with twists, turns, political backflips and protests. And a stadium debacle.

When Brisbane was first announced as host, the Gabba stadium was hand-picked as the crown jewel location for the athletics and the opening and closing ceremonies.

The home of AFL and cricket was set to get a $1 billion rebuild, which would have increased its capacity to 50,000 and required the demolition of the adjoining East Brisbane State School.

The estimated price tag for the Gabba rebuild blew out to $2.7 billion, and the school community fought to stay.

After a Labor leadership change, Steven Miles announced a review, led by former Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk, which recommended a new stadium be built at Victoria Park instead.

Both the LNP and Labor rejected the proposition of a new stadium, and Mr Miles announced Lang Park would host the opening and closing ceremonies, while the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC) would host the athletics.

After winning the state election seven months later, newly elected Premier David Crisafulli announced a 100-day review into infrastructure for the Games.

Its return in March last year marked the government's official stadium U-turn, with the premier conceding he had broken an election promise of "no new stadiums" but that a new 63,000-seat stadium at Victoria Park was the only option.

"I have to own that, and I will, and I am sorry," Mr Crisafulli said.

"It's my decision, and I accept that decision."

It prompted outrage among some First Nations groups, who have said the site is of deep cultural significance.

In May, protests at the site escalated, leading to the arrest of five people.

On June 1, excavators moved in with the site becoming the first to be handed over to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA).

The state of play

Seven new venues will be built for the Games, while 10 will be upgraded to be ready for the Games.

Of the seven new builds, only Brisbane Stadium at Victoria Park has progressed to the early works stage, while the remainder are in the planning and approvals or the design phase.

None of the venue upgrades have progressed to the early works phase.

The Games will extend beyond the south-east with multiple events to be held in regional Queensland, including equestrian in Toowoomba, football in Cairns and sailing in Townsville and the Whitsundays.

Rockhampton's Fitzroy River is set to host the rowing and canoe sprint events, but its suitability has been questioned.

The central Queensland venue has received the backing of key officials and the government has defended its decision, reiterating that there is "no reason" to look for an alternative site.

The Queensland Audit Office's 2025-2026 Major Projects Report shows nearly all of the works to the 17 venues are expected to be complete by 2030 or 2031, with much of the construction work to be underway at the same time.

The audit report states this will mean the projects will be competing for the same workforce, which, according to Construction Skills Queensland, is set to operate at a deficiency of an average of 19,100 people over the next eight years.

"Workforce constraints and early stage planning present delivery risks for both the capital program and Brisbane 2032 projects," the audit report stated.

Mr Colacino said this could mean a price hike.

"What we see at the moment in Brisbane is the Olympics coinciding with major investments in health infrastructure [and transport] … so we're seeing the Olympics being delivered at a time where we can expect to see a squeeze on labour force," he said.

"Constraints on access to labour brings with it the risk of a price squeeze."

Mr Colacino reinforced the need for careful planning and for governments to establish a strong relationship with the construction sector.

Minister for State Development and Infrastructure Jarrod Bleijie said his government was "relentlessly focused" on falling within the $7.1 billion budget.

"We are strategically doing it, we are methodically doing it, we are calmly doing it, and we are making sure it is on budget," he said on Monday.

He said the government had also reigned in spending to build the National Aquatic Centre at the site of the Centenary Pool in Spring Hill, when, months ago, artistic renders were set to be released publicly.

"Which if anyone had of looked at, you didn't have to be a rocket scientist to work out, that was going to be more than had been budgeted within the $7.1 billion," he said.

"We said 'Go back to the drawing board, do it within budget'."

When asked whether he was confident the Games would be run to budget, Olympics Minister Tim Mander said the "actual cost" would be clearer as things became "more concrete", and the government would "adjust accordingly".

"It means if we have got to raise more money, if we have got to generate more ticket sales, we look at other revenue-raising opportunities to meet whatever cost it might be," he said.

"Our aim is to make sure Queensland taxpayers aren't left with the bill."

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