As it happened: Brisbane on Monday, March 24​on March 24, 2025 at 4:15 am

As we mentioned earlier, Premier David Crisafulli is in Canberra today, where he signed an education funding deal with the prime minister.

The pair also discussed the state’s plans for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

Crisafulli will publicly detail the state government’s plans for Olympic venues tomorrow, with the widely speculated announcement of a new $3.4 billion stadium at Victoria Park, breaking the premier’s key promise of “no new stadiums” during last year’s election campaign.

Standing alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this morning, Crisafulli said: “I reckon we spoke a lot about it. But we’ve negotiated well together. I think that’s fair. We’ve worked together well, and that’s always my style.

“I’m on Team Queensland. Of course, there’s been some strong negotiations – two people of Italian descent, you would expect that.

“But there’s nothing that can’t be solved over a bit of common sense and a cannoli.”

The prime minister added: “I can confirm that the premier has on two occasions given me cannolis and I haven’t declared them and I declare them now.”

Under a previous funding agreement negotiated by former Labor premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, the Queensland government would have paid for the Gabba to be rebuilt as Brisbane’s major Olympic stadium, while the federal government would have paid for a new indoor Brisbane Arena to host Olympic swimming.

The cost of constructing the main stadium at Victoria Park will force Crisafulli’s LNP government to renegotiate these deals on the eve of a federal election, potentially putting Brisbane Arena at risk.

It has been 1430 days since Brisbane was awarded the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the premier said.

Thanks for joining us for live coverage of today’s news.

We’ll be back tomorrow with live coverage of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games venues and infrastructure announcement – and all the reaction – so please join us then.

If you’re just catching up, here are some of the stories that made headlines today:

Federal Labor has pulled down a social media post that re-purposes a racist slogan to promote its support for Medicare in an embarrassing misstep that raises questions about the party’s vetting processes on the eve of the election.

The death of a woman whose body was found along the Kedron Brook Bikeway in Lutwyche, in Brisbane’s inner-north, is not being considered suspicious, police say.

The federal government has ended a 19-month stand-off with Queensland over state school funding with a promise to boost its contribution, but the deal comes with conditions.

Brisbane State High School has so much pulling power that four out of five high schoolers living in its catchment suburbs of West End and Highgate Hill will receive a state school education instead of independent or Catholic.

It has ’70s carpet, peeling wallpaper, an outdated kitchen and a wonky block – but that didn’t stop five families duking it out at a fierce auction in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held pockets, driving the price to a jaw-dropping $2.51 million.

And Red Hill residents have started to receive notices in their letterboxes alerting them to construction work for a new Tesla showroom. But has driving as Tesla, as Cameron Atfield writes, become the automotive equivalent of wearing a bright-red MAGA hat?

A review will investigate the erosion of the Pumicestone Passage, which runs between Bribie Island and Caloundra, after existing problems worsened when Cyclone Alfred approached Queensland.

The northern tip of Bribie Island shields the Caloundra township from storms and bad weather. But it was partially washed away in 2022 during ex-tropical cyclone Seth, and eroded further during Alfred.

Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister Jarrod Bleijie said the community had been asking many questions for years, and the Queensland government was taking action.

“I think what is needed now is for all levels of government, state, federal, and local government to get together,” he said.

Bleijie said the community would be involved from the beginning.

“Terms of reference will be drafted in consultation with the local government and also the community associations representing this beautiful part of the Sunshine Coast,” he said.

“I want the terms of reference to be as broad as possible, so [the] community can have a say.”

A man arrested over the alleged fatal bashing of an elderly businessman last Anzac Day has had his charges upgraded to murder.

The victim, James “Jim” Hill, 76, died in hospital on May 5 last year after he was allegedly attacked in his home on Hood Street.

Hill was well-known in his Lockyer Valley community for his legacy with the Gatton Bus Service.

A 53-year-old man was charged with offences including deprivation of liberty and acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm.

On Monday, police confirmed they had upgraded the charges to murder.

The accused remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in the Ipswich Magistrates Court on April 2.

Go Cards will be phased out, with a replacement already in development.

It comes as “smart ticketing” – allowing travellers to tap their credit or debit card – is enabled across all ferry, bus, tram and train services in south-east Queensland.

The state government says about 25 per cent of travellers already use the option, and expects that number to increase.

“A new reloadable card is being developed to use on the smart ticketing system – for people who do not want to, or are unable to use a credit card, debit card [or] smart device,” a spokesperson for transport minister Brent Mickelberg said today.

“This is why the Go Card system will continue running until that card is developed.”

Brisbane buses now allow commuters to tap their personal debit or credit card to pay for travel.

Made official this morning, three years later than originally promised, the move means all bus, train, tram and ferry services across the south-east now use the “smart ticketing” system.

“People can use a debit card, credit card, smartphone or smartwatch to pay for their public transport,” transport minister Brent Mickelberg said in a statement.

Go Cards continue to work.

The government says about 25 per cent of travellers on non-bus services use their credit or debit card, and the figure is expected to continue to rise.

The prime minister hopes the budget cycle will force the opposition to show its cards before the election is officially called for a date in May.

Before tomorrow’s budget, the federal government is spruiking its cost of living relief efforts, announcing a $150 energy bill rebate in an extension of the $300 subsidy offered in the previous budget.

Though Opposition Leader Peter Dutton called the plan a “Ponzi scheme”, the coalition revealed it would support the measure, drawing criticism from the government.

“The rhetoric that they use in attacking this means that they can’t be secure,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters in Canberra this morning.

“Having opposed all of these things for almost three years – just to have said ‘yes’ – they’ve got to have something to say about policy and they don’t have any of their own.”

The PM added that he looked forward to some Coalition policy “coming out sometime between now and May”.

The opposition leader is promising a major announcement in Thursday’s budget reply speech with immigration and housing likely to be areas of focus.

Brisbane is likely to be spared the worst of a downpour across much of the state.

Parts of Queensland’s west are being drenched in the heaviest rain in years, with possible flooding and more than 100 millimetres forecast in some areas this week.

The tiny town of Birdsville had its heaviest rainfall since 2020 this month, with more than 70 millimetres falling in 24 hours.

Weatherzone reports some towns could become inaccessible.

“There is the potential for a few hundred millimetres of rain across a large area, likely cutting off … unsealed roads, leaving some communities isolated,” a statement said.

Sporadic drizzle is expected in Brisbane for the next seven days, with a maximum of 10 millimetres on Friday possible.

Nationals Leader David Littleproud says a Coalition government will get energy prices down by increasing the supply of gas.

Speaking on ABC Radio National this morning, Littleproud was asked if he could guarantee that energy prices would go down under a Coalition government. He responded in the affirmative.

“We will have renewables as well, make no mistake, there will be renewables as part of our grid, but you’ve got to have baseload power,” he said.

Speaking in Canberra, Premier David Crisafulli said Queensland was a good example for other states.

“I would argue that other states probably haven’t come on the same journey that we have, and I think if you point to Queensland as an example that it can be done – it can be done,” he said of the state’s gas production.

“You can protect the environment. You can treat local communities with respect. You can create some jobs and earn a living. It is absolutely possible.”

In today’s flashback, here is a photo of cars and trams travelling along the Victoria Bridge in 1952.

The trams were destined for New Farm Wharf and Fortitude Valley. The cars, travelling north, include a Ford, Holden, Austin, Morris and Vauxhall.

The timeline to prepare for the Olympic and Paralympic Games is “becoming tight,” according to former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk.

Tomorrow, Premier David Crisafulli will unveil his government’s final plans for Olympic venues after a 100-day Games infrastructure review.

It is widely speculated Crisafulli will announce a new $3.4 billion stadium at Victoria Park, in line with the key recommendation of Quirk’s 2024 Olympic venue review, which was dismissed by the former Labor state government.

“The build has basically got to be completed by the end of 2031 because you’ve got to road test these venues as well,” Quirk told the Today show earlier this morning.

“It’s becoming tight. I think the government appreciates that tomorrow hopefully when these decisions are made … it will be pressing the go button … and we can just get stuck into it.”

Quirk said he remains confident the Games will be a positive platform to showcase Brisbane.

“We are going to see good investment in Brisbane. It’ll be investment for Brisbane and Queensland, which will help young people. It’s an investment which will also see improved outcomes for public transport and improved investment driven by tourism after the Games.”