The cost of backing out of hosting the 2032 Olympics was discussed by the Queensland cabinet earlier this week.
It was revealed on Monday that the government didn’t include the cost of transporting athletes and officials for the facility’s upgrade in its budget.
The government immediately denied the report.
9News was able to confirm that the cabinet was briefed about the cost of backing out of the event, which could have been as high as $1 billion.
It was also told that the state could lose around $3 billion in federal funding.
During question time, Premier Steven Miles refused to answer questions about the matter.
He also said that the cabinet doesn’t discuss matters that are discussed in the meeting.
Attorney-General and Minister for Health Shannon Fentiman also refused to talk about the matter.
The decision to proceed with hosting the event was made by the government.
It opted not to build a new stadium, instead it decided to upgrade the existing one. It also plans on holding track and field events at the QSAC.
Despite initially saying that the upgrades would cost around $7.1 billion, it has been revealed that the government did not include the cost of transportation in the facility’s budget. This could add up to around $2 billion to the cost of the athletics facility’s revamp. Brisbane Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner, said that the government should consider investing up to $500 million in the facility’s transportation options.
During his speech, David Crisafulli, the opposition leader, criticized the government’s decision to change its stance on stadiums. However, he refused to commit to a rebuild of the Gabba if the Coalition was elected in this year’s general election. Instead, he said that the government should focus on improving the infrastructure of the state.
Daniel Mookhey, the NSW Treasurer, also said that Sydney could be a two-time host of the Olympics. He noted that the state has set an impressive record when it comes to hosting international events.