The Queensland Government has released a new long-term strategy aimed at strengthening community sport, supporting future athletes and expanding the state’s sporting industry as preparations continue for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The strategy, Queensland Spirit: The Road to 2032, outlines plans to invest in grassroots clubs, improve participation, attract more major sporting events and create pathways for athletes from community sport through to elite competition.
The government says the plan is intended to ensure the benefits of hosting the 2032 Games extend well beyond the event itself, with initiatives designed to support sporting organisations, volunteers, children and local communities across Queensland.
The strategy was developed following public consultation that attracted almost 2,000 survey responses, more than 90 written submissions and community forums held in Brisbane, Roma, Emerald, Cairns, Mackay, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Townsville and Toowoomba.
Four priorities form the centrepiece of the roadmap.
The Games On! initiative includes new investment in grassroots sporting infrastructure, grants to help clubs purchase equipment and provide training, along with continued disaster recovery support for community sporting facilities.
Under The Home of Australian Sport, the government plans to attract additional sporting organisations and major events to Queensland while providing longer-term funding certainty through a new Sporting Partnerships Fund.
The Play On! program will continue the state’s $200 Sports Vouchers to help families meet the cost of children’s participation in organised sport. The strategy also expands the Play On! Learn to Swim program, offering vouchers of up to $150 for eligible children aged up to four years, alongside a new Grassroots to Gold program aimed at strengthening athlete development pathways.
The fourth priority, Beyond 2032, focuses on increasing opportunities for Queenslanders to be active by improving access to sporting facilities through collaboration between government, community organisations and the private sector. It also proposes expanding Sport HQ to provide additional support for volunteers.
Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander said the strategy was designed to deliver lasting benefits for communities across the state.
“We’re entering a golden era of sport in Queensland and building a legacy of greater participation, improved accessibility, better infrastructure and stronger pathways,” Mr Mander said.
“The Crisafulli Government is working to cement Queensland’s place as the home of sport in Australia and ensure there is a lasting legacy beyond 2032.”
“We’re backing clubs with the facilities they need to grow and thrive, supporting families to get more kids into sport, and building a world-class sporting industry that will endure long after the Games.”
Queensland has continued to announce new sporting infrastructure projects and international events as preparations accelerate for Brisbane 2032. Governments often use Olympic and Paralympic Games to encourage higher sports participation, improve community facilities and attract investment, although previous host cities have experienced varying success in translating major event spending into long-term community benefits.
The effectiveness of Queensland Spirit will ultimately be measured by participation rates, the strength of community sporting organisations, athlete development outcomes and whether the planned investments continue to deliver value after the Brisbane Games have concluded.
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