Olympics Games for SEQ 2032

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Bipartisan support critical for Brisbane Olympic bid

[ozbob]

Will this get past first base?   Probably not, so far except for the LM no one seems overly keen ..

[ozbob]

This could be a game changer;

"Brisbane to bid for 2028 Olympic Games"
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/brisbane-to-bid-for-2028-olympic-games-20150226-13p86l.html

The CRR project is "shovel ready"!

Certainly an Olympic Games might lead to some improvements, but by 2028 I would hope that the core elements of a decent public transport network including CRR were long in place ..

[James]

Brisbane as a city is not in any position to be bidding for an Olympic games at this point. The transport infrastructure simply isn't there right now. We are a city which struggles to run more than 2tph on most suburban train lines with people who hold parochial, anti-anything viewpoints.

First, Brisbane needs to make up its mind as to where to build all the stadiums. Right now, two of our big sporting hubs (Chandler and QEII) are both off major transit lines, and sorry BCC, you cannot run a million buses from Banoon or the City/Olympic Village to cover the demand - it is too great.  The games will not only require us to build all the usual facilities - we will also need to invest in direct transit links to these areas. This means things like extending the busway to Chandler. Some kind of busway/rail spur to QE2. Having enough trains/buses to run highly frequent services to the key Olympic areas. Possibly resumptions, to avoid having to put everything all over the City - I can't imagine having four sports 'hubs' at Chandler, Macgregor, Boondall and the CBD being very efficient.

To Sydney's credit, they've done the Olympic Village incredibly well - more or less everything required for the Olympics is there. Brisbane just has a mish mash of sporting venues spread across the CBD, in generally poorly located/congested areas. Remember that time when they had both the AFL (Gabba) and NRL (Lang Park) on at the same time? Yeah, that didn't go that well. If Brisbane can't cope with that, or gets abandoned en masse a la G20 long weekend, hosting the Olympics really isn't going to be a good idea...

[ozbob]

For interest, Rio 2016 Transport Map

--> http://www.rio2016.com/en/rio-de-janeiro/maps/transport-map

[#Metro]

Oh look! Copacabana is on the map!

[pandmaster]

It would be great to have the Olympics in Brisbane: surely it would be the lowest-profile host city ever!

I agree with other posters that the infrastructure is well behind where it would have to be and it would take a herculean effort to get it up to standard.

The main stadium would be the biggest issue I think. It would have to be in or near the city to prevent it being a white elephant (e.g. existing QSAC) given the population distribution in Brisbane. Suncorp has no room to expand and the 'Gabba could possibly (with major roadworks and relocating East Brisbane State School) be expanded a bit, probably not enough for the Olympics and probably would not stack up financially. RNA Showgrounds makes sense, however with the apartments, etc... going in that may not be possible. Converting parkland may be the only option and that would have other consequences.

[petey3801]

The sporting precinct at Springfield Central could be expanded enough to accommodate some of the games. Nice new, high capacity station just built recently close by too!

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Brisbane Olympics case difficult to make

[OzGamer]

I would say the transport requirements might be achievable given that the only way this thing could work would be to spread the games around existing venues around SEQ rather than build a massive Olympic Park for a bazillion dollars with hundreds of thousands arriving daily through the games. The basic transport could be something like:

QEII Stadium - some bus priority from the SE busway and Mains Road and some shuttles from Banoon station
Chandler - extend the Eastern busway
Boondall - existing train station should do it
Convention Centre - plenty of existing transport
Coomera - existing train station and shuttle buses
Lang Park - arrangements in place
Gabba - busway

So the only one that really needs substantial transport infrastructure investment is Chandler, which is right on the route of the planned busway anyway. I think we could do it. Whether we should or not is another question, I guess.

EDIT: Forgot some venues:

Tennyson - Yeerongpilly station and (possibly) games shuttles through Tennyson, but honestly the games wouldn't provide a bigger transport challenge than the Brisbane International.
State Hockey Centre (Colmslie) - this one's a bit of a challenge. How about setting up a temporary CityCat terminal. That would be really cool!
Surfers Paradise (beach volleyball) - Light Rail with just announced connection to Helensvale
Gold Coast Convention Centre - as above
Lake Kurwongbah (rowing, canoeing) - short bus shuttles from Petrie station

Any others people can think of?

[Gazza]

Maybe QSAC could be served by a SEB metro conversion and a spur line down mains Rd to Altandi 

[OzGamer]

I should add that the games should definitely be over school and university holidays to lessen the basic transport load. Move the holidays forward a week or two if necessary. That way, all the school buses and extra term-time uni buses could be used for the various shuttles etc.

[petey3801]

There is also the yet-to-be-built sporting precinct at Springfield Central, located right next to the new station, funnily enough!

[Gazza]

I should add that the games should definitely be over school and university holidays to lessen the basic transport load. Move the holidays forward a week or two if necessary. That way, all the school buses and extra term-time uni buses could be used for the various shuttles etc.

They've done that every time anyway.
When I did year 12 in Vic we had a short 7 week first term and a 13 week 2nd term to fit the Commonwealth Games.

[ozbob]

ABC News --> South-east Queensland mayors make move to bid for 2028 Olympics in Brisbane

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Olympic Games: Peak tourism body says 'clear vision' needed before south-east Queensland makes bid

Queensland leaders must develop a "clear vision" if the state is to make a formal bid for the Olympic Games, a peak tourism body says.

The south-east Queensland Council of Mayors yesterday backed moves to support a bid for Brisbane to host the 2028 event.

Such a proposal would require support from the federal and state governments before being put to the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).

Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) chief executive Daniel Gschwind said the region was capable, but a "clear vision" must be established first.

"That is what we have to demonstrate - that we can do that, that we have the infrastructure, that we have a functioning city that can cope with an influx of people with the Olympics," he said.

"It is important to not just think of putting on a show. It's important to create a city and present a city that can accommodate an event like that.

"It's fundamentally important for a host destination to be the right place, not just for the three weeks of the event, but to really present itself as capable of being efficient, as capable of providing the infrastructure for the residents any time of the day, and any time of the year." ...

[pandmaster]

This is the same council of mayors that thought not enough is spent on roads!

Successful Olympic Games are few and far between. Brisbane is kilometres away from being ready to host the Olympics.

[#Metro]

The Olympic games is not a 'need', it is a desire.
We don't have a lot of money and there are problems, basic ones, that haven't been solved.

If you can't fix up a pack of bus routes, why do you think you can deliver the Olympic Games? Return is also very dubious, could boost tourism etc by simply paying the same money to buy free plane tickets to Brisbane with the same $ and hand them out in foreign cities.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Nine News Brisbane ‏@9NewsBrisbane 9 minutes ago

South-east Qld mayors will take @Olympics plan to Canberra, to push for 2028 Games bid: http://short.ninem.sn/wOlPL6H . @TeamQuirk #9News

===============

[SurfRail]

Turkeys.

Maybe if the mayors spent this much effort pushing for investment in rail, the region's airports and any of hundreds of other more economic or culturally significant issues we might see a better legacy from their time at the helm.

[ozbob]

http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10854.msg154194#msg154194

Sent to all outlets:

17th March 2015

Greetings,

Where is the bus performance data?

Why are we treated so poorly by the transport authorities in Queensland? Other states make available performance data of all public transport modes, not just trains.

Is the bus performance for Brisbane so bad that publishing the data would expose the real nature of the failing network?  Would seem to be the case.

Have a look at the TransLink twitter feed here > https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ

It is a non stop procession of bus cancellations, no shows and late services.  And it is probably not the full picture in our opinion.

As we have said before "Honesty is often the first step in fixing a problem. The failing bus network is a problem, continuing to hide mediocrity doesn't help anyone."

Interesting that Sydney is moving along with bus network reform ( http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects-bus-priority-program ).

Open and transparent government is a myth in Queensland.  Will the new Government turn the charade around?  We can only hope  hey?

A state that cannot deliver a proper bus network for its capital is one that is unlikely to be able to deliver an Olympics games in our opinion.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Olympic dream wins gold for stupidity

[pandmaster]

This could make the BCC election interesting. Hosting the Olympics seems to be unpopular. Perhaps Mr. Harding will run on a "no Olympics" platform. Maybe even a "no to the games" party could field a LM candidate.

[BrizCommuter]

BrizCommuter has come across a leaked copy of the Brisbane 2028 Olympics Transport Plan
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/leaked-brisbane-2028-olympic-transport.html

[pandmaster]

BrizCommuter has come across a leaked copy of the Brisbane 2028 Olympics Transport Plan
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/leaked-brisbane-2028-olympic-transport.html

Gold! This is worthy of the BrisbaneTimes.

[Stillwater]

^Home truths in BrisCommuter's observations.  Ouch!

[red dragin]

BrizCommuter has come across a leaked copy of the Brisbane 2028 Olympics Transport Plan
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/leaked-brisbane-2028-olympic-transport.html

Pizza oven 



Very well done BrizCommuter 

[Stillwater]

Re bus performance data, or the lack thereof, the tendency in government is not to release any information unless the 'facts' are passed through the prism of party political ideology, or are 'interpreted' for us.  There is great reluctance for the raw data to be published (because people might come to some conclusions).  It is better, so the spin doctors argue, to put the best gloss on the data, according to the government's philosophy, and then defend that position.  (Problem?  what problem?)  The bad news is that attitude is self-delusional.

[ozbob]

From the Sunday Mail 22nd March 2015 page 21

NUP, NO MEDALS  [Around the traps with Peter Cameron]



=====================

" .. In Canberra's eyes, Queensland's main roads authorities are the worst in Australia for infrastructure planning and delays.  Running last behind Northern Territory and Tasmania is certainly not gold medal potential. "

Well this is a surprise NOT!!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !

[ozbob]

BrizCommuter has come across a leaked copy of the Brisbane 2028 Olympics Transport Plan
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/leaked-brisbane-2028-olympic-transport.html

Nice one BrizWhiz 

Belies the sad reality of gross incompetence from the present lot.  Will the new broom sweep clean? 

[mufreight]

How much the new broom can effect will unfortunately depend to a large degree on the advice they receive from the public servants that they have inherited who will act and advise in their own personal interests.
There is however some room for hope in that a number of those incoming ministers have backgrounds in the areas of their ministry and will not just take what they are told by the bureaucrats as gospel and seek advice from those working hands on and then form their own opinions and act accordingly.
This would be very much the case with transport and particularly rail where fortunately a number of senior management who know what they are talking about survived the LNP administration, the question is now will the incoming ministers listen and more pointedly ask questions and the form their own opinions before making decisions.

[BrizCommuter]

BrizCommuter has come across a leaked copy of the Brisbane 2028 Olympics Transport Plan
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/leaked-brisbane-2028-olympic-transport.html

Nice one BrizWhiz 

Belies the sad reality of gross incompetence from the present lot.  Will the new broom sweep clean?

I doubt it.

I forgot to mention the "top secret" canalway to be built from the Brisbane River to QE2 Stadium to allow access by CityCat. It will require 8 locks, of which each one will take just 30 minutes to navigate.

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/south-east-boatway-for-2028-brisbane.html
More on Brisbane 2028 Olympics infrastructure plans.

[ozbob]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/south-east-boatway-for-2028-brisbane.html
More on Brisbane 2028 Olympics infrastructure plans.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Olympic Games bid: Thorpe says Brisbane should look to Sydney for 2028

[ozbob]

Judging by the last 10 years they have to be joking about the Olympics?  Place will be a total cluster f%%k come 2028 ...

[Stillwater]

I would support a South-East Boatway if it connected to the Logan River -- to drain the Brisbane River whenever it floods!     

[pandmaster]

Brisbanetimes --> Olympic Games bid: Thorpe says Brisbane should look to Sydney for 2028

I hope only $30 million is spent on the bid (if it must go ahead at all). $5 million in 1986 (when the 1992 games were decided) is $12.4 million in 2014 (http://www.rba.gov.au/calculator/annualDecimal.html). This seems to have been ignored (though that would still be a small budget for such a bid).

While I would much rather the money spent on the Olympics (should Brisbane get it) be spent on more important infrastructure, I suppose the Olympics would be a positive if it was a catalyst for infrastructure improvements. Most likely though any improved or new infrastructure would be a white elephant after the games.

[SurfRail]

Depends on who is in government at either level.

How much transport infrastructure do you think the Gold Coast is getting for 2018?

 

[pandmaster]

How much transport infrastructure do you think the Gold Coast is getting for 2018?

Some road upgrades?