With the FIFA World Cup kicking off in North America, Henry Pike MP, Federal Member for Bowman, highlights a timely reminder for the Redlands that major international events should be used as a catalyst to deliver a lasting infrastructure legacy.
“Long after the trophy is lifted, the real winners of events like the World Cup are the host cities themselves,” Mr Pike said.
“One of the great lessons of major sporting events is that they force governments to get serious about projects that should have been built years earlier. Deadlines focus minds, bureaucracies move faster, and infrastructure gets delivered.”
Mr Pike pointed to major transport and infrastructure upgrades delivered in World Cup host cities, including accelerated Metro subway extension in Los Angeles and completion of a light rail network in Seattle, expanded public transport in Vancouver, and significant urban redevelopment in Atlanta.
“None of these projects were really about football, they were about leaving the host city better than they found it,” he said.
“That must be Brisbane’s approach to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
Mr Pike said for the Redlands, that legacy must include an extension of the Brisbane Metro to Capalaba, with a long-term vision to expand further into the region.
“I have been advocating for a Metro extension to Capalaba for four years because I know the difference it will make for local families,” he said.
“Last year, I was proud to help secure a bipartisan $50 million federal commitment to deliver the detailed business case, and that work is now underway.”
Mr Pike said early indications from Brisbane City Council’s Games Transport Legacy Plan suggest the Metro extension to Capalaba is emerging as a priority project, with a target of being operational by 2031.
“If delivered, this would be transformative for our city,” he said.
“More than half of Redlands residents leave the city each day for work. A Metro connection would mean faster trips, more reliable services, and more time spent with family instead of sitting in traffic.”
However, Mr Pike said federal support remains a key hurdle.
“The Albanese Government was willing to commit $6 billion to Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop before a completed business case was available,” he said.
“Yet when it comes to transport infrastructure linked to the Brisbane Olympics, Canberra suddenly becomes far more cautious. Queenslanders are entitled to ask why.”
Mr Pike said the next 12 to 18 months will be critical.
“The business case is underway and the opportunity is there,” he said.
“What we need now is a Federal Government willing to back Queensland’s Olympic legacy with the same enthusiasm it shows for projects south of the border.”