Major Sports Facilities and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
Plain English Summary
Overview
This bill makes several changes to Queensland's major sports facilities and major events laws. It allows Gold Coast stadiums to host concerts until 10:30pm (matching Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane), significantly increases penalties for ticket scalping, modernises Stadiums Queensland's board governance, and updates advertising restrictions to cover drones.
Who it affects
Concert-goers on the Gold Coast will benefit from more live music events locally. Ticket scalpers face much higher penalties, while people who buy scalped tickets are no longer committing an offence. Stadiums Queensland board members are subject to new appointment and disqualification rules.
Gold Coast concert regulations
Removes liquor licensing and local law noise restrictions that effectively forced concerts at Carrara/People First Stadium and Robina/Cbus Super Stadium to finish by 10pm. This brings Gold Coast stadiums in line with Suncorp Stadium's 10:30pm finish time, making them competitive for attracting touring artists.
- Concerts at Gold Coast stadiums can run until 10:30pm instead of 10pm
- Concert noise regulated under state law rather than liquor licensing conditions
- Environmental Protection Act compliance deemed met if prescribed noise conditions are followed
- Community consultation showed 77% support for consistent concert curfews across venues
Ticket scalping penalties
Substantially increases maximum penalties for selling event tickets above 10% of the original price, aligning Queensland with other Australian states. The offence for buying scalped tickets is removed to encourage people to report scalping.
- Maximum penalty for scalping increased to 135 penalty units for individuals and 680 for corporations
- No longer an offence to buy a scalped ticket, removing a barrier to reporting scalpers
- Infringement notice fine increased from 2 to 13 penalty units
- Applies to both major sports facility events and declared major events
Stadiums Queensland board governance
Modernises how the Stadiums Queensland board is appointed and managed. Directors must have relevant qualifications or experience, a deputy chairperson can now be appointed, and clear disqualification criteria replace the previous power to terminate directors for any reason.
- Governor in Council can now appoint a deputy chairperson to the board
- Directors must have relevant qualifications or at least 3 years experience in areas like asset management, construction, sports administration, or law
- Clear disqualification criteria introduced: indictable offence convictions, insolvency, or corporate management bans
- Previous provision allowing termination 'for any reason or none' is removed
Technical and minor updates
Updates definitions and improves regulatory flexibility for multi-day events.
- Drones explicitly included under 'aircraft' for unauthorised advertising restrictions at major sports facilities
- Major Events Act provisions clarified for events spanning multiple days and areas
Bill Journey
Committee report tabled