Major Sports Facilities and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
Plain English Summary
Overview
This bill updates Queensland's laws for major sports facilities and events. It allows Gold Coast stadiums to host concerts until 10:30pm by removing restrictive liquor licensing noise conditions, increases penalties for ticket scalping, and modernises the governance of the Stadiums Queensland board.
Who it affects
Concert-goers and Gold Coast stadium operators benefit from more events and later finish times. Ticket buyers gain stronger protections from scalping, while ticket scalpers face significantly higher penalties.
Key changes
- Gold Coast stadiums (People First Stadium and Cbus Super Stadium) can now host concerts until 10:30pm, matching Suncorp Stadium, by overriding liquor licensing noise restrictions with state regulation
- Maximum penalties for ticket scalping increased to 135 penalty units for individuals and 680 for corporations at both major sports facilities and major events
- The offence of buying a scalped ticket is removed so people are not deterred from reporting scalpers
- Stadiums Queensland board gets a deputy chairperson role, formal qualification requirements for directors, and updated disqualification and vacancy rules
- Drones are now covered by advertising restrictions at major sports facilities
Bill Story
The journey of this bill through Parliament, including debate and recorded votes.
▸Committee26 Aug 2025View Hansard
Referred to State Development, Infrastructure and Works Committee
6 members · Chair: Jim McDonald
The State Development, Infrastructure and Works Committee examined the bill and recommended it be passed, along with two additional recommendations. The bill's objectives were largely supported by stakeholders. The committee recommended that the Department consult with the City of Gold Coast on regulatory conditions for special events at Carrara and Robina stadiums, and that the Department monitor the effectiveness of increased ticket scalping penalties. The Queensland Government accepted both additional recommendations.
Key findings (5)
- The bill's objectives were largely supported by stakeholders, with key issues raised about the regulatory framework for special events at Gold Coast major sports facilities
- Stakeholders raised concerns about arrangements to mitigate impacts of special events on local residents, including noise and extended operating hours beyond 10pm
- The Ticketbrokers Association of Australia raised concerns about ticket resale regulation, seeking a balance between consumer protection and supporting legitimate operators
- Maximum penalties for ticket scalping offences would increase almost sevenfold for individuals, from 20 penalty units to 135 penalty units ($22,531.50)
- The Queensland Government confirmed it would consult with the City of Gold Coast and key stakeholders as part of the Major Sports Facilities Regulation sunset review due by 1 September 2026
Recommendations (3)
- The committee recommends that the Bill be passed.
- The committee recommends that the Department of Sport, Racing and Olympic and Paralympic Games consult with the City of Gold Coast and other key stakeholders on any future amendments to the Major Sports Facilities Regulation 2014 relating to the operation of special events at Carrara Stadium and Robina Stadium.
- The committee recommends that the Department of Sport, Racing and Olympic and Paralympic Games monitor the effectiveness of increased penalty provisions, including any enforcement or compliance challenges, to ensure that the amendments achieve their desired outcomes and remain fit for purpose.
Committee report tabled
▸Second Reading12 Feb 2026View Hansard
▸9 members spoke5 support4 mixed
As Minister for Sport, moved the second reading and outlined the bill's key amendments: extending Gold Coast stadium concert curfews to 10:30pm, increasing ticket scalping penalties, modernising Stadiums Queensland governance, and adding Olympic infrastructure projects. Also moved amendments to the Racing Act and Brisbane Olympic Games Arrangements Act.
“This bill ends the era of archaic inconsistency with our stadiums. The new regulatory framework would effectively allow for concerts at these venues to be held until the industry standard of 10.30 pm instead of the current 10.00 pm curfew.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard
Announced the opposition would support the bill on balance, agreeing with its objectives of modernising stadium management, strengthening consumer protections around ticket reselling and improving governance, while flagging concerns about implementation and the lack of committee scrutiny for late amendments.
“The opposition will be supporting this bill. We do so not because it is perfect but because, on balance, it enhances some areas of law and regulation which will support major sports facilities and major events into the future.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard
As chair of the committee that considered the bill, praised the minister's efforts and expressed enthusiasm for Queensland being open for business for major events, particularly in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympics.
“Queensland is open for business. We are here to make sure we have major events right across the state.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard
Criticised the government for rushing through significant Olympic infrastructure amendments without committee scrutiny, particularly provisions bypassing normal planning and heritage laws for the Brisbane Athlete Village, Gabba arena, the Wave transport project, Coomera Connector and other projects.
“These are not insubstantial amendments. There are pages and pages of details, maps and schedules. These are not last-minute amendments. This was always planned.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard
Supported the bill for its provisions to extend concert times, increase ticket scalping penalties, update drone advertising provisions, and streamline Olympic infrastructure delivery.
“The bill seeks to remove liquor licensing restrictions that currently require concerts at major sports facilities to finish by 10 pm. The new standard will allow events to conclude at 10.30 pm, aligning with industry norms.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard
Supported the original bill's provisions on concert times and ticket scalping but strongly criticised the late Olympic infrastructure amendments as bypassing community consultation, parliamentary scrutiny, and planning approvals without justification.
“There are going to be huge implications for communities out there. These are going to have an impact on a community, and those communities deserve the right to have their say.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard
Supported the substantive bill provisions but raised serious concerns about the rushed Olympic infrastructure amendments that bypass planning, heritage and environment laws without committee process, questioning what the government is trying to hide.
“Major generational infrastructure should withstand committee scrutiny, not be shielded from it with dodgy parliamentary tactics by the LNP.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard
As Deputy Leader of the Opposition, strongly criticised the Olympic infrastructure amendments being rammed through without scrutiny, attacking the Deputy Premier for arrogance in dismissing community concerns and arguing the amendments bypass all normal planning, heritage and environmental approvals.
“The inclusion of those projects in the arrangements act means there will be no development application process, no public notification period, no formal opportunity to lodge objections, no third-party appeal rights, no independent review and no transparency.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard
Strongly supported the bill, particularly for extending Gold Coast concert curfews from 10pm to 10:30pm and the broader economic benefits for the Gold Coast events industry.
▸In Detail12 Feb 2026View Hansard
Government amendments Nos 1-2 inserting extensive new provisions into the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games Arrangements Act 2021, including adding the Brisbane Athlete Village, Gabba arena, the Wave stages 1-3, Mooloolah River Interchange, Coomera Connector stage 2, Cairns Western Arterial Road and Shute Harbour boating facility to the streamlined planning pathway, and converting Victoria Park trust land to freehold for transfer to GIICA.
Government amendments Nos 3-5 adjusting ticket resale penalty provisions to set maximum penalties of 135 penalty units for individuals and 680 for corporations.
Government amendment No. 6 inserting a new Part 3A amending the Racing Act 2002 to reform the Racing Queensland board composition, requiring representatives from each racing code (thoroughbred, harness, greyhound) plus up to six other members with skills-based or regional representation, implementing recommendations from the independent Racing Review.
Supported the original bill as based on Labor's groundwork but strongly objected to the late amendments converting trust land to freehold for Olympic venues, questioning why it is necessary and demanding the minister rule out any sale of land by GIICA.
“Can the minister clarify why it is absolutely necessary to convert the land from trust land to freehold land?”— 2026-02-12View Hansard
Opposed the Olympic infrastructure amendments, particularly the conversion of Victoria Park trust land to freehold for transfer to GIICA, warning it could end up in private developer hands and criticising the bill being passed in the same week property developer donations were legalised.
“This amendment right here turns it into fee simple so it can be transferred to GIICA. That is the short-term proposal. What about beyond the Olympics? This is no longer in public hands; it is now regular, saleable land.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard
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Sectors Affected
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