Brisbane is coming of age. Again.
When our Olympics are over, will the River City stand tall?
As Tom Cruise implausibly scurried off from Paris with the Olympics flag, crossing the Atlantic faster than Concorde to deposit it on the Hollywood sign*, things are getting real closer to home.
In just eight years, the Olympic and Paralympic Games are coming to Brisbane, and preparations to this point have been an omnishambles. (I wanted to write another word, but I know some of my readers are of a delicate disposition.)
Whatever is said or done now, the reality is that all proper political decision-making in Queensland is on hold until after the state election.
Whoever ends up making genuinely irreversible decisions regarding the Olympics could do worse than start with reading this article by Chip Le Grand. In particular, as squabbles continue over whether to build a new stadium, expensively refurbish an existing one or do neither, they should chew over this bit: The first rule of Brisbane 2032 should be that when it comes to venues, there are no rules.
Let’s rid ourselves, once and for all, of the notion that success hinges on a big and beautiful stadium. I’ve written about that here.
Beyond that, my advice, for what it’s worth, is not to imagine that holding the Olympics will automatically elevate Brisbane in the global consciousness.
We may be following Paris and Los Angeles, but we are not in the same league, never will be, nor should we aspire to be.
When it comes to the world stage, those cities have longer and richer backstories, and well-established tourist attractions, with appeal that transcends anything we can magic up between now and 2032.
In any case, it shouldn’t be about tourists.
It should be about having a city that works for the people who live here; one that makes us proud enough to want to share it on our own terms.
David Crisafulli, the man who has a better-than-even chance of being premier come October, is saying more than he really should about many things. I’m surprised he hasn’t been advised that the election is his to lose and he should just keep quiet and let Labor tear itself apart. But what do I know?
He’s been very critical of, among other things, the current government’s handling of the Olympics.
The question Mr Crisafulli has to face: how will he pay for everything he’s promising? Fixing the hospital system and eradicating youth crime (which, it turns out, isn’t as bad as we’ve been told) won’t be cheap, let alone doing the heavy lifting in preparation for the world’s biggest event.
We all know the Olympics will punch a huge hole in the state and city budgets. I expect it to cost twice as much as even the highest current estimate — because that’s what always happens.
Once it’s over, when William McGuinness is riding off into the sunset on the ghost of Bernborough to deliver the Olympics flag to the next host city, will we be able to say it’s all been worth it?
*At least I think that’s what happened, I wasn’t really paying close attention.