The 63,000-seat Olympic stadium planned at Victoria Park for the 2032 Games has been approved by the federal government, clearing the environmental approval.
The Environment Department recently divulged their decision, declaring the proposal to build both the Brisbane Stadium at Victoria Park and the National Aquatic Centre in Spring Hill as “not a controlled action.” This means that the Commonwealth Environment Department thinks the project is unlikely to have a significant impact on protected matters, no matter how it is undertaken.
The decision also determined that the proposal does not require further federal environmental assessment, giving the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) the green light to begin preparatory works to build the $3.6 billion stadium on June 1.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, the Queensland minister with oversight of Olympic venue delivery, sees this as an encouraging sign: “This is a big, positive step towards bringing the Brisbane Stadium and National Aquatic Centre to life, delivering incredible venues and surrounding public space for 2032 and beyond that Queenslanders will be proud of.”
On the other hand, there is not insignificant opposition to the project, especially from the advocacy group Save Victoria Park. The community has fought against the developments ever since they were announced, but the environmental aspect of it was only one of the grounds that they object on.
The group still has hope that they will succeed through applications for protection under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act, as the land has been historically and culturally significant to Aboriginal groups.
Save Victoria Park has a number of applications under the Act, and the Australian government is taking them under consideration.
