The state government is touting $4.7 billion for progressing with Olympic preparations, although some of this funding will be metered out over several years.
There is also more than $1 billion in the budget, over the next four years, for tourism, including to fund projects which will help the tourism industry meet the ambitions of the state’s 2045 tourism strategy that was launched earlier this month. The strategy sets goals for Queensland to welcome over 110 million domestic visitors and five million international visitors each year by 2045.
Queensland’s 2025-2026 budget includes provisions of $3.8 billion for the Olympic venues program over forward estimates, including $847 million to progress minor venue projects for the Olympics. So-called minor projects to be funded from this allocation include Sunshine Coast Stadium, Barlow Park Stadium, Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre, Logan Indoor Sports Centre and the Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre.
Within this spending parcel, the budget also allocates $950 million over four years for athlete villages. Overall, the state is planning to spend $3.5 billion on athlete accommodation prior to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Alongside this, the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority is getting $308.5 million over four years to deliver new and upgraded venues for the Olympics.
Meanwhile $101.9 million over four years has been budgeted for various government departments to undertake Olympic Games responsibilities. These will be delivered by the likes of the Department of Transport and Main Roads, the Queensland Police Service, the Queensland Fire Department, Queensland Health, the Queensland Ambulance Service, the Department of Primary Industries and Stadiums Queensland.
There is also $55.6 million over four years in the budget to fund operational activities for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Office.
“We’re getting on with the job to deliver the 2032 Games with world-class success for Queensland in 2032 and beyond,” said Queensland’s deputy premier and minister for state development, infrastructure and planning, Jarrod Bleijie.
“This budget delivers funding certainty for venues, villages and transport infrastructure needed to make this a historic event that all Queenslanders can benefit from.”
On the visitation and events front, $446 million over four years is devoted to realising the goals of Destination 2045, the state’s new tourism strategy.
This funding will be used to incentivise new aviation routes into Queensland, for event attraction, tourism product development – including new ecotourism experience development – and to further fund Tourism and Events Queensland. For the 2025-2026 financial year, $50 million of this funding has been allocated.
