Reclaiming the True Value of Major Events — And How Queensland Can Lead Into 2032

Every major event hosted in Australia carries the backing — financial or strategic — of state governments. And for good reason. Events deliver real economic outcomes: job creation, local industry activation, increased visitor spend, national exposure, and global broadcast reach. In short, major events are an economic engine — and governments have long understood this.

Over recent history, in our opinion, we have lost focus on a significant part of this economic engine - the company's and workforce that deliver these dynamic projects. Historically, major events fell under economic development portfolios. That meant their impact was evaluated not just through tourism, but through broader metrics:

• Business development
• Regional and sector growth
• Export opportunities
• Infrastructure legacies
• Supply chain capability uplift

But about a decade ago, that changed. Across Australia, major events were reallocated to tourism departments, narrowing the focus to visitor economy metrics — in particular, bed nights.

This singular lens has, in our view, diminished the broader value of the events sector. An entire ecosystem of capability — from technical innovation to workforce development — has been overshadowed by hotel occupancy data.

As we look to Brisbane 2032, Queensland has a generational opportunity to reset this mindset. The Olympic and Paralympic Games shouldn’t just be a tourism headline — they should be a catalyst for long-term industry development.

But that requires investment now:

• In the people who will deliver these events‍
• In the businesses who will support them
• In the supply chains that will ensure their success

To build a meaningful legacy, Queensland needs to grow its workforce pipeline — and that means more major events, more often. Events that offer hands-on delivery opportunities, workforce upskilling, and real-world testing for infrastructure, security, engineering, construction, ICT and overlay teams.

There’s a proven model close to home. Victoria has cultivated one of the world’s most robust event sectors through a deliberate and consistent calendar, anchored by:

• The AFL Grand Final
• Melbourne Cup Carnival
• Australian Open
• FORMULA 1 Australian Grand Prix

It’s a masterclass in planning, sequencing, and capability-building — not just entertainment.

If Queensland can build a similarly balanced annual event portfolio, it can forge a legacy that delivers economic and industry benefit long after the Olympic flame goes out. There are plenty of opportunities for Queensland to execute such a strategy.

Firstly, you can turbo-charge existing capabilities by strategic investments in our current assets - think increased strategic spending in Events such as the Supercars street circuits, the Gold Coast Marathon and the other events which Events QLD are delivering. Create a pipeline of community building and capability building live sites to support events like the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the LA Games in 2028. Then look to attract the right type of major events - focus on the ones which can become recurrent legacy projects for the industry and support economic activity into the future.

If we want a local industry ready to deliver Brisbane 2032 at a world-class standard, we must start now:

• Bring the events here
• Build the skills here
• Invest in local delivery models

Let’s ensure the legacy of the Games is measured not just in visitor numbers, but in the strength and capability of the Queensland industry it leaves behind.

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