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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Opponents of a planned stadium at Victoria Park took advantage of the final day before it gets closed to the public, with hundreds turning out for a last-ditch rally at the inner-city parklands.<\/p>\n But as they voiced their frustration at the Crisafulli government\u2019s broken election promise not to build a new stadium for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Albanese government gave them another blow.<\/p>\n Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt rejected two First Nations appeals, made under section 9 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act, to urgently prevent work associated with the planned 65,000-seat stadium and National Aquatics Centre from starting from Monday.<\/p>\n It was then that the Games Independent Infrastructure and Co-ordination Authority would take ownership of the land to prepare for venue construction.<\/p>\n Watt said, in assessing the section 9 applications, he considered whether a significant Aboriginal area was under serious and imminent threat of injury or desecration.<\/p>\n \u201cIn accordance with federal cultural heritage law, I have decided not to make declarations under section 9 of the Act in relation to these applications,\u201d Watt said in a prepared statement on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is because, based on the information before me with respect to each application, I was unable to be satisfied that either application met the statutory requirements for a declaration to be made under the Act.<\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s decisions follow consultation with interested parties, and I acknowledge the importance of the area to the Turrbal and Yagara Peoples.\u201d<\/p>\n Watt said four applications made under section 10, along with another section 9 application, remained under consideration.<\/p>\n In one of the largest anti-stadium protests at Victoria Park, more than 1000 people gathered to demand work stop at least until the section 10 applications, brought by local First Nations elders, were determined.<\/p>\n After demonstrating along Herston Road, the protest moved into the park. There, Gaja Kerry Charlton, an elder who had made one of the section 10 applications, welcomed them to \u201cBarrambin\u201d and thanked them for their support.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted to give that message to the government, to the nation, to the world, that this action is deeply wounding us and many different First Nations people here on Yagara Country,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Former premier Campbell Newman said he was \u201creally disappointed\u201d with the LNP government, members of which \u2013 including Premier David Crisafulli and his deputy, Jarrod Bleijie \u2013 served in his cabinet between 2012 and 2015.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re acting like they\u2019ve been in government for 10 years rather than 18 months,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s arrogance, it\u2019s just breathtaking hubris, and I\u2019m afraid the Deputy Premier is behaving in an unacceptable way.\u201d<\/p>\n Bleijie has been strident in his criticism of stadium opponents, who he has called \u201cloopy\u201d and NIMBYs.<\/p>\n As premier, Newman appointed Bleijie the Queensland attorney-general \u2013 one of the most powerful positions in the ministry. On Sunday, Newman said he would not have condoned Bleijie\u2019s commentary if he was still premier.<\/p>\n \u201cIn fact, he\u2019d been given a strong talking to\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not the way to behave in 2026, when people in the community have legitimate concerns about any project. So, I think the premier should be pulling him into line.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking on the Sunshine Coast, where he announced contracts had been awarded for the first stage of the Wave bus transit system, Bleijie described the people at Victoria Park as \u201cprofessional protesters\u201d.<\/p>\n Bleijie said they would be dealt with by police should they attempt any disruptions to GIICA\u2019s work after the midnight handover, as he slammed those who were forced off the site on Friday.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI will say I was shocked and appalled at the abuse, not only the police but council workers received by those protesters the other day at Victoria Park when they were just going about doing their job,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Uncle Adrian Burragubba, from Wangan and Jagalingou Country in Central Queensland, said the Brisbane City Council and police officers who participated in that Friday eviction should be investigated.<\/p>\n Burragubba said the site was sacred for all First Nations people, as had been passed down through generations of ancestors.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re the ones who told us that song and that story, and that Dreaming, and that dance, and that rhythm,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere that rhythm comes from, and where that melody comes from as well, it\u2019s from here \u2013 it\u2019s from the natural environment.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is what we do as Aboriginal people. We bring the story, we bring the song and the dance, and a lot of our people that grow up with it from very young age, and this is where they come and learn.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a sacred site here. It\u2019s a spring \u2013 we\u2019re connected to that spring, we\u2019re connected to the kinship ties with this mob here [the Yagara and Turrbul] from Wangan and Jagalingou Country.\u201d<\/p>\n Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Derek](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/c25485580f8a517c45ef76567344f3beed3883a0ca977e62b581ee1ba40b0990.jpeg\")
Derek Oram Sandy performing a welcome ceremony at a Save Victoria Park rally on Sunday.Cameron Atfield<\/p>\n![\"Protesters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3fab9cc0a5028361507afcffa18f8da0c93d8a52ed3ca206d6eacf3e4d409a56.jpeg\")
Protesters lined Herston Road outside Victoria Park.Cameron Atfield<\/p>\n![\"Campbell](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2bb586a8a3787c034733dd6b54d63ee8b3e92c5b0cea64f7528736b45fd78538.jpeg\")
Campbell Newman blasted his former LNP colleagues.Cameron Atfield<\/p>\n![\"Uncle](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/f32c586e3d94dc5390457901d83dad8c76e6fe404538afb423e8038fb4d681f5.jpeg\")
Uncle Adrian Burragubba says Victoria Park is sacred land for First Nations people.Cameron Atfield<\/p>\n