‘Stone age’: Olympic dream falls 55,000 houses short

Brisbane’s infrastructure push risks falling short, experts warn

Queensland is facing an infrastructure crisis threatening the 2032 Olympics, with a critical lack of housing to accommodate a shortfall of up to 55,000 workers needed for the Games.

A property technology leader has warned Brisbane’s failure to adopt rapid building threatens the viability of the Games, as latest data from Infrastructure Australia forecast a catastrophic shortage of more than 50,000 construction workers when games-related infrastructure begins in earnest next year, peaking at almost 55,000 by March 2026.

Even if those workers can be sourced, there is currently nowhere to put them, according to Wayne Larsen, CEO of offsite manufacturing firm PT Blink.

A critical housing shortage could threaten the viability of the Games

“This is beyond a supply chain problem, it’s a systemic failure,” Mr Larsen said.

“Australia is building like it’s still the Stone Age, relying on outdated, slow, and labour-intensive methods while the rest of the world has already transitioned to rapid, manufactured solutions,” Mr Larsen said.

“If we cannot urgently house 55,000 workers, they simply won’t come. We face a scenario where we can’t house the workers, let alone the Olympians.”

Mr Larsen said the failure to adopt modern construction techniques had translated into crippling capacity constraints, with the National Housing Accord target of 1.2 million new homes already tracking 32 per cent below the required rate in Queensland alone.

Victoria Park Stadium anchors a key precinct primed for infrastructure development

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Mr Larsen said the technology needed to turbocharge construction was already available, with his company recently completing a seven-storey building in Spring Hill in just 11 days.

PT Blink’s system replaces traditional concrete slabs with a flat-pack steel structure manufactured entirely offsite. This allows construction work to begin on multiple floors simultaneously, eliminating the slow, level-by-level approach of conventional building.

“The Australian public needs to understand that we are throwing tonnes of concrete at a problem that requires digital, manufactured precision,” Mr Larsen said.

“We are running a $7b infrastructure marathon with a wheelbarrow while global competitors use a Formula One car.”

New technologies can accelerate construction timelines, Mr Larsen said

A research report from Colliers identified “golden rings”, or key precincts connecting major new venues like the Victoria Park Stadium and the National Aquatic Centre. These inner-city areas primed for growth included Spring Hill, Fortitude Valley, Roma Street, Herston and Bowen Hills.

“The Spring Hill project proves that Australian innovation is ready to solve Australia’s infrastructure challenges,” Mr Larsen said, adding off-site construction could shave four months off apartment project timelines.

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