This article pretty well establishes why I’m supportive of the Government’s plans to redevelop the Gabba. I think they’re going about it in entirely the wrong way, but it needs to be done.

East Brisbane State School students need adequate facilities to replace their current school, if the current school has to be removed, and being moved out of catchment is not adequate. Ideally they’d actually replace it with two new schools to help with the additional population growth expected in the area. One could be at the Coorparoo site it’s being moved to, and the other should be further towards the north or west of the current catchment, near Kangaroo Point.

And I’m not sure that it even needs to be moved. The warmup facility for the Olympics is a stupid idea based purely on the Government’s desire to have the athletics take place at the Gabba, instead of using a purpose-built facility for athletics. QSAC at Nathan was suggested in this week’s Brisbane City Council meeting, which could be upgraded to Olympic standards and be allowed to stay that way instead of demolishing it after the Olympics to make way for cricket and football, like the Gabba will be. QSAC already has a warmup track. Using the Gabba for the Olympics athletics is a colossal waste of time and money.

But none of that changes the underlying fact: the Gabba does need a big upgrade. And if that upgrade is being done to line up with the Olympics (where it can and should be the opening and closing ceremonies’ venue anyway), so be it.