Posted by 
Queensland Premier Steven Miles has backflipped on his commitment to accept all a report's recommendations into venues for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games after it called for the Gabba to be knocked down and rebuilt and a new stadium constructed.
Instead of following the report, the government has decided Suncorp Stadium will be upgraded so it can host the opening and closing ceremonies, as will the Queensland State Athletics Centre (QSAC) so it can host athletics, while the Gabba will get a revamp as well.
The independent Games review, led by former Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk, made 30 recommendations, including that a "world-class" $3.4 billion stadium be built at Victoria Park as the host venue for the 2032 Games.
READ MORE: 'Destructive' cyclone headed for Australia
Quirk also called for the Gabba to be eventually demolished and turned into greenspace, saying it was too old to retain and estimating renovation costs would likely exceed $3 billion for a full rebuild.
"The Gabba was going to need to be replaced and it is never going to be a tier one stadium because of the limitations of space," he told reporters at a press conference.
But the premier, who had previously committed to accepting Quirk's recommendations before they were released, said the cost of demolishing the "beloved" Gabba and constructing a replacement elsewhere was too much.
READ MORE: Qantas could be forced to pay 'many millions' to sacked workers
He said while the government would accept 27 of the recommendations, the other three – including the demolition of the Gabba – would not go ahead.
"I cannot justify spending $3.4 billion on a new stadium," Miles said this afternoon.
"I ordered this review because I had heard from Queenslanders that $2.7 billion at the Gabba was too much… $3.4 billion at Victoria Park will be too much. I am ruling that out…
"I know that I said I'd do what the Quirk review recommended, but I cannot support the option that they have landed on.
"I cannot support building a brand-new stadium while Queenslanders are doing it as tough as I know that they are."
READ MORE: Soldier killed in Sydney military drill remembered as 'gold standard'
The review advised the government against using the QSAC as an Olympic venue, but instead, the almost 50,000-seat facility will receive a significant upgrade so it can host the athletics, which could cost up to $1 billion.
Miles said he had accepted the recommendation to build a new stadium – Brisbane Arena – in the Roma St Parklands.
He said the total cost of all the upgrades and construction will remain at the original $7.1 billion price tag, and that not demolishing the Gabba means cricket and AFL would be able to remain at the venue "throughout the entire Games preparation".
