The head of Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic Games, Andrew Liveris, says Qld must get on with preparations

“We’ve always said Queensland would deliver a great Games,” a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

“Not once did the government ever have the intention to cancel the Games.”

The state government accepted the majority of the 60-day infrastructure review’s 30 recommendations.

However, it ignored key findings, including a warning not to hold track and field events at QSAC, a 1982 Commonwealth Games venue.

The review – led by former lord mayor Graham Quirk – said transport and access to QSAC, a 20-minute drive from Brisbane’s CBD, during the Games would be “extremely challenging and costly to facilitate”.

It believed building a $3.4 billion Victoria Park stadium in Brisbane’s CBD as the 2032 centrepiece would be a better legacy project.

But Liveris wasn’t concerned about criticism of the infrastructure backed by the state government, saying what was being proposed would provide a legacy for south-east Queensland beyond 2032.

“We were committed to 85 per cent of the venues either being in place or temporary – that’s the new norm of the Olympics – and we are indeed the smallest place to ever put these Games on,” he said.

An upgraded 40,000-seat QSAC would reportedly be the smallest Olympic track and field stadium since the 1928 Amsterdam Games.

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“Delivering the track and field events with a capacity of 40,000 spectators would be by far the lowest capacity for any Games held in recent history, and would potentially leave little opportunity for the general public to attend major finals,” the review said.

Built in 1975, QSAC is currently “poorly served by public transport” and 20 kilometres away from the Olympic athletes’ village.

“Travel time [for athletes] would be significant without road closures and police support,” the review said.

It also noted QSAC was an elite track and field training centre and a revamp would be a significant disruption for athletes ahead of the Games.

– AAP