Labor Senators - dissenting report
1.1Labor Senators feel compelled to provide a dissenting report in response to this second interim report and note that this inquiry has become yet another vehicle for the Greens and the Coalition’s relentless negativity, political point-scoring and finger-pointing. It further underscores their inability to come up with a positive plan for Australia—their consistent approach to obstruct, criticise and blame does not help our country, it hurts us all.
1.2The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Brisbane 2032 Games) are an opportunity for the country to come together and showcase the best of Australia to the entire world. Labor Governments around the country understand this, and are working constructively, methodically, and respectfully to make sure these benefits are harnessed and shared across the nation and within our region.
1.3This is evidenced through the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) reached between the Australian and Queensland Governments for the Brisbane 2032 Games in February 2023, and the ongoing representation of the Australian Government at all levels of decision-making and in program areas relevant and appropriate to Commonwealth funding and responsibilities.
1.4The former Coalition Government fell over themselves to commit to the Brisbane 2032 Games even before any costings were undertaken. They were quick to attend events and press conferences but underneath all the rhetoric, did not allocate a single dollar in a Federal Budget process to venue infrastructure, nor had they done the hard work to establish the kind of robust and transparent agreement which was negotiated by the Albanese Labor Government in February2023.
1.5Australian Government officials are working hand in glove with a range of ministerial and senior official working groups, in accordance with the IGA, to help deliver the Brisbane 2032 Games.
1.6Labor Senators acknowledge that not everyone will share the same opinion about decisions in relation to the planning of and hosting the Brisbane 2032 Games. However, Labor Senators consider it important that everyone has an opportunity to respectfully have their say about the issues that matter to them.
1.7Labor Senators confirm that the views of the stakeholders that have contributed to this inquiry to date have been carefully noted by the Australian Government and will be taken into account moving forward.
1.8Labor Senators provided advice and precedent, set from earlier inquiries, concerning the powers of the Senate or Parliaments to call witnesses who were either currently serving or former Ministers or Members of Parliament (whether they be state or federal) to the committee. That advice was clear and showed that Ministers (either currently serving or retired) could not be compelled to give evidence in relation to decisions made at the time they were ministers, yet Liberal, National and Greens Senators insisted on travelling to multiple state hearings at public cost,to pursue witnesses, despite knowing this.
1.9In relation to the participation of the Victorian Government, and given the overtly political nature of this inquiry, Labor Senators are of the view that the decision of the Victorian Government not to participate was a matter for them and is not surprising.
1.10As Labor Senators noted in the first interim report, the original contract for hosting the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games was an agreement made between the Victorian Government, Commonwealth Games Australia, and the Commonwealth Games Federation. The Australian Government was not a party to this agreement, which at that time was the former Coalition Government. Labor Senators therefore note that the most appropriate forum for the VictorianGovernment to participate would be the Victorian Parliament, not the Australian Parliament.
1.11Labor Senators note that facts have been overlooked in relation to the Elevate 2042 Legacy Strategy and the high importance the Albanese Labor Government places on ensuring benefits are realised in regional Queensland, across Australia and shared with our Pacific family.
1.12The IGA which was entered into between the Australian and Queensland Governments, makes strong mention of the importance and benefits to our regions:
It is expected Brisbane 2032 will benefit communities, tourism operators, sporting organisations and local businesses by: stimulating economic growth; creating health and social benefits; aligning with national, state, and regional plans; integrating sustainable environmental practices; providing opportunities for attracting new investment; and reinforcing Australia’s position as a global sport and events hub.[1]
1.13In addition, current plans show that the Brisbane 2032 Games will be hosted across several cities and regions—a first for the Olympic and Paralympic movement—providing increased tourism, economic and social benefits across Queensland and Australia. Regional Queensland co-hosts include the SunshineCoast, Gold Coast, Redland, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Moreton Bay, Scenic Rim, and Cairns. Sydney and Melbourne are also currently slated to host preliminary football matches.[2]
1.14As noted on its release in November 2023, Elevate 2042 has been designed to be a living document which is to evolve as the region grows and changes.[3] This approach recognises that what is important now may become more or less a priority, and new challenges or opportunities may emerge.[4] It will be implemented in three stages to facilitate this flexibility and have opportunities for engagement along the pathway to 2032 and beyond.
1.15Labor Senators also note that sport is one of Australia’s great strengths, and one way in which we deepen connections with our Pacific family.
1.16This is reflected in the range of cooperation and activities that Australia undertakes with the Pacific in sports, ranging from school and community participation through to elite sports development.
1.17Through Australia’s PacificAus Sports and Team Up programs, the AlbaneseLabor Government is creating sustainable high-performance pathways for Pacific teams and athletes to realise their dreams in sport. This approach includes:
developing athlete pathways in a number of sports;
developing sports administrators, referees, coaches and umpires;
empowering women and promoting gender equality;
providing elite competition opportunities; and
supporting several Pacific Olympic and Paralympic committees and sporting federations to prepare for international competitions.
1.18The Australian Government has a strong history of supporting mobility for Pacific Island athletes during major Australian sporting events, as occurred for example during the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
1.19When a major sports event occurs, the Australian Government provides access to Pacific Island athletes through the Subclass 408 Australian Government Endorsed Event visa, through the Department of Home Affairs.
1.20To facilitate swift access to visas, the Australian Government establishes bespoke processing teams, provides visa fee concessions, and ensures expedited processing to ensure athletes can seamlessly come to Australia to represent their country.
1.21The Australian Government is committed to continuing to provide this world-class support for Pacific Island athletes in the future, including for the Brisbane 2032 Games.
1.22Another major way the Australian Government is supporting Pacific athletes is through the Australian assistance for the Solomon Islands Government to deliver the 2023 Pacific Games.
1.23Australia delivered direct support for Solomon Islands’ Pacific Games preparations, including:
stronger sporting institutions and deeper links with Australian sporting bodies;
refurbishing schools to support athletes’ accommodation; and
supporting critical staff positions to manage delivery of the Games; and
numerous other Australian programs are also contributing to the Pacific Games, including supporting Solomon Islands athletes, health and medical supplies, media and biosecurity, border, and cyber support.
1.24The Australian Government has a long-term commitment to sports development in the Pacific and is pleased to be assisting Pacific athletes and sporting institutions from across the region.
1.25Labor Senators note, in relation to the Games delivery timeframes, that the former Coalition Government made a commitment to fund 50 per cent of the cost of venue infrastructure but failed to allocate any funding. The job of contributing Australian Government funding towards the Brisbane 2032 Games was left to the Albanese Labor Government.
1.26The Australian Government was compelled to undertake a review into the Infrastructure Investment Program because the legacy left behind by the former Coalition Government resulted in $33 billion in known cost blow-outs and an inability to add any new projects to the infrastructure pipeline until 2033.
1.27Labor Senators consider that the former Coalition Government’s approach to the Infrastructure Investment Program created an unacceptable risk for the delivery of infrastructure required for the Brisbane 2032 Games. The actions of the current Australian Government in implementing the recommendations of this review have mitigated this risk.
1.28In relation to Recommendation 9, regarding the Sunshine Coast Direct Rail Line, the suggestion that any funding was ‘cut’ from the project by the Australian Government is false. As part of any Budget process, cash flow adjustments are made in order to align the provision of funds with project milestones.
1.29Labor Senators note that no funding was cut from Sunshine Coast Direct Rail Line in the October 2022–23 Budget. Labor Senators also note that, as a result of the Infrastructure Review, the Australian Government reserved $1.44 billion for the construction of the project, with an additional $160 million made available for business case, planning and early works on the project.
1.30Labor Senators note submissions to the inquiry indicate that more than 80 per cent of venues for the Brisbane 2032 Games are either already existing or will be delivered through temporary solutions. New facilities will be developed where there is a long-term sport and community benefit.
1.31The Australian Government will contribute a capped funding amount totalling $3.435 billion for venue infrastructure projects—including $2.5 billion to fully fund the indoor Brisbane Live Arena and $935 million to co-fund 16 new or upgraded venues. The Australian Government provided several guarantees to the International Olympic Committee regarding the delivery of services required to support the Brisbane 2032 Games (including in relation to communications security, taxation, and visa handling).
1.32In relation to Recommendation 3, relating to the proposed Brisbane Cricket Ground (Gabba) Redevelopment, Labor Senators note that this is a project entirely funded and delivered by the Queensland Government. The Australian Government has no role in this project, and it is unclear how the Australian Government would work with the Queensland Government to ‘halt’ a project it is not involved in, assuggested by the committee.
Infrastructure grants
1.33In relation to Recommendation 2, regarding the establishment of a regional infrastructure grants program, Labor Senators note that the Australian Government has already established the Growing Regions Program. This is an open and competitive grants program available to regional communities throughout Australia and stands in stark contrast to the grants program that existed under the former Coalition Government that were subject to adverse findings by the Australian National Audit Office.
1.34Labor Senators also note the Albanese Labor Government’s $200 million PlayOur Way program, announced in August 2023, is one of Australia’s most comprehensive investments in women’s sport. This program is an opportunity for local governments, community organisations, the not-for-profit sector and sporting organisations to seek funding for localised solutions and improvements. It will promote equal access, build more suitable facilities, and support grassroots initiatives to get women and girls to engage, stay and participate in sport throughout their lives.
1.35The Labor Senators note the submissions to the inquiry that highlight historic shortfalls in sports funding and understand its detrimental effects on Australian athletes, coaches, support staff, volunteers, and infrastructure.
1.36Given the Albanese Labor Government was only sworn-in last year, these findings have laid bare the entrenched under investment in sport by almost a decade of the former Coalition Government.
1.37Labor Senators note that the Albanese Labor Government provides public funding to a larger number of high-performance sports than other comparable nations.
1.38The Australian Government, through the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), funds 41 sports to deliver high performance programs (including para programs, plus winter sport disciplines). Overall, the Australian Government provides funding to 70 National Sporting Organisations.
1.39In comparison, the United Kingdom publicly funded 25 sports to deliver high-performance programs (including para programs) for the Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This was increased to 34 sports ahead of Tokyo 2020 given the addition of several sports like surfing, skating and speed climbing. The New Zealand Government invests the majority of their high-performance funding into eight sports, with lower investment in an additional 20 sports.
1.40The Albanese Labor Government has also invested $20 million into our athletes through the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Preparation Fund. This fund is providing additional financial support to help sports deliver key high‑performance initiatives and projects that can significantly support and improve the performance of our Australian athletes in the lead up to the Paris2024 Games.
1.41In addition, Australia’s first National Sport Participation Strategy ‘Play Well’, co‑designed by the sport sector, was launched in November 2023. With the support of the Australian Government, the Play Well Participation Grant Program will invest $10.3 million in national initiatives to get Australians active through sport.
1.42The Albanese Labor Government is continuing to work with the ASC on future investment in sport participation, including successful programs such as the Sporting Schools Program.
1.43Labor Senators note that the Albanese Labor Government’s 2023–24 Budget provided funding to implement a Major Sporting Events Legacy Framework to ensure upcoming major international sporting events held in Australia deliver lasting social, economic, and sporting benefits for all Australians.
1.44In addition, the Budget supported the development of a new National Sport Plan and a review of the Australian Sports Commission Act 1989.
1.45These projects are underway through the Department of Health and Aged Care, and will ensure a strategic approach to the investment and delivery of major sporting events along the ‘green and gold decade’ to the Brisbane 2032 Games.
1.46Labor Senators note that this work has been overlooked in the report, likely for political reasons, and go to Recommendations 11 and 12.
1.47Labor Senators note that Albanese Labor Government will continue to work in close, methodical, and respectful collaboration with the Queensland Government to maximise the benefits of hosting the Brisbane 2032 Games.
1.48For countless kids and young people out there today on fields, courts, arenas, pitches, tracks, and in pools, the Olympics and Paralympics are the pinnacle of success.
1.49Labor Senators encourage all to use the Brisbane 2032 Games as a platform to boost and inspire more community participation in sport and promote an inclusive environment where Australians of all abilities feel welcome.
Senator Glenn Sterle
Deputy Chair
Labor Senator for Western Australia
Senator Linda White
Member
Labor Senator for Victoria
Footnotes
[1]Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Intergovernmental Agreement,(accessed6December 2023).
[2]Queensland Government, Q2032, The Games Map (accessed 6 December 2023).
[3]The Hon Annastacia Palaszczuk MP, Premier and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Hon Stirling Hinchliffe MP, Minister for Tourism, Innovation and Sport and Minister Assisting the Premier on Olympics and Paralympics Sport and Engagement, 20 Year Plan Makes Most of Games, Media Release, 10 November 2023.
[4]Queensland Government, Q2032, Elevate 2042 Games Legacy (accessed 6 December 2023).
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