2025 seems to have flown by… and yet at the same time, so much has happened this year that December feels like it’s been a long time coming!

After a slow start to the year for many, the pace picked up significantly in March with the release of the 2032 Delivery Plan. Providing a clear pathway for the infrastructure needed for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond, the Plan was widely applauded by stakeholders.

The Plan’s release kick-started an enormous wave of activity across Queensland, and heading into Christmas, the pace has not eased up.

It has been a fulsome year for the Committee, too, with lots of change and activity reflecting the pace of the broader Brisbane market.

Internally, we welcomed new team members in 2025, who have brought their energy, enthusiasm and expertise to the organisation. With positions strategically aligned with the operations of the Committee, we are better placed to serve our members and fulfil our vision. It’s been wonderful to have Smaro, Sean and Anna come on board!

2025 also saw the implementation of a new strategy for the Committee for Brisbane. Our four focus areas of City Vision, Transport, Logistics & Mobility, Games Legacy & Growth, and #BIG (Brisbane Idea Generators), have been cemented as the cornerstones of our advocacy.

Each of these strategic focus areas is now supported by a member-led sub-committee, enabling us to target our advocacy and gain traction on areas of agreed importance for our city-region.

We released our annual update to the Inner City Vitality Report in November, which provides a brilliant source of information by which to track economic activity across the suburbs and sectors comprising the city’s core. With the Games reinforcing the important role of the inner-city, this research will continue to add value to conversations about our city’s future.

Partnerships and thought leadership were again at the forefront in 2025. We worked with the Council of Mayors (SEQ) to release its Benchmarking SEQ Report in March. In July, we released Deloitte’s incredible Going for Gold paper. And in November, we joined QShelter and housing advocates to release the second edition of the 2032 Displacement Monitoring Report.

Leveraging our members’ expertise and excitement for the city-region, aside from our own sub-committee activity, we’ve supported or convened workshops on issues ranging from digital and transport legacy opportunities, to a vision for Mt Coot-tha.

At a national level, we again partnered with the Committees for Capital Cities (Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Greater Hobart) to lead a delegation to Canberra, where we met with Federal politicians and bureaucrats and held an event in Parliament’s Great Hall.

Internationally, we partnered with Brisbane City Council and the esteemed Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Network, which is supported by the Centre for Liveable Cities and Urban Redevelopment Authority in Singapore. As BCC’s Knowledge Partner within the Network, the Committee will be pursuing research and strategic partnerships with other global cities, along with learning and sharing information about improving the liveability and productivity of the city.

We also welcomed around 3000 members and guests to our events this year. Ranging from boardroom formats through to headline events, we maintained our commitment to supporting the creative community through profiling the arts and culture at major events.

Many of the discussions at our events prompted media interest, with the Committee speaking publicly on all manner of issues impacting the city-region, from branding and promotion of Brisbane, through to river activation, night-life, legacy and more.

None of this activity would be possible without the support of our wonderful members. I would like to extend my heartful thank you for your ongoing trust in our team and the spirit of collaboration you bring.

It goes without saying that the leadership of our President, Mike Kissane, and the entire Executive and Management Committees, has been central to delivering on our mission to be a visionary voice for Brisbane.

2026 will be another year filled with change and opportunity for the Brisbane city-region, and I am excited by the role the Committee for Brisbane can increasingly play in shaping our positive future.

Wishing everyone a happy, safe Christmas and New Year, and a restful break before it all starts again!

It has been a big year for the Committee for Brisbane Sub-Committees. Formed in March of this year, sub-committee members have continued to develop a series of projects and initiatives aimed at bringing to life the Committee for Brisbane’s updated Strategic Plan and making Greater Brisbane the world’s most liveable place.

Highlights from the Sub-Committees:

• Transport, Logistics and Mobility: Conducted a tour to the Port of Brisbane, provided a key forum for its members to share sector-specific transport priorities and continued to develop its three priorities to deliver forums on congestion reduction, public and active transport legacies, and smarter networks.
• Games Legacy and Growth: Delivered a digital legacy workshop to help inform the Committee for Brisbane’s digital advocacy agenda, explored in person the 2032 Victoria Park Precinct, and continued deliberations on walkability and safety, green canopy and sub-tropical architecture.
• City Vision: Conducted three workshops on the sub-committee’s two priorities- precinct development and connectivity, and vitality and safety in Fortitude Valley. The City Vision sub-groups have also been hard at work in terms of metrics, research, the development of priorities, and identifying commercial and connectivity opportunities.
• #BIG: Deliberated on the city’s underutilised public spaces and identified Breakfast Creek as its key area of focus for waterway activation and economic development, visitor, tourism and environmental opportunities.

A heartfelt thanks to all sub-committee members for their time, enthusiasm and expertise throughout the year!

The Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee has launched its official Games Vision.

Shaped by 6,000 Australians, including almost 3,000 Queenslanders, the Vision outlines how the Games aim to inspire communities, strengthen national pride and deliver long-lasting benefits for Queensland and Australia.

The Vision is shaped by three core beliefs including ‘Believe’, ‘Belong’ and ‘Become’.

Its key commitments include:

• Getting active in sport – encouraging more people to move more often.
• Rolling out the welcome mat to the world – Australian warmth will be on full display.
• Making access easy for everyone, everywhere – inclusivity is central to the Games.
• Embracing the environment as a natural strength – the land, the seas and wildlife.
• Seizing the significant economic opportunity ahead – benefits extend across communities.
• Appreciating the rich history and vibrant modern culture of Australia – its heritage and contemporary achievements are to be celebrated and shared.

For more information please visit the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee here.

On 4 December 2025, Healthy Land & Water released its annual report card.

Now in its 25^th year, the report card provides an annual assessment of ecosystem health, including grades for various regions.

Across 18 catchments, key findings in Report Card 2025 include:

• A general trend of decline in catchment and bay zone condition since 2021.
• High pollutant loads from recent floods, impacting water quality.
• Freshwater stream health performing well, but estuarine water quality declining.
• Strong community connection: 87% of residents feel deeply connected to their local waterways and 76% report high personal benefits.

For further information and results please visit Healthy Land & Water here.

The Queensland Government and Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) recently announced an agreement for the expansion of the Queensland Tennis Centre, which will play a key role for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

At 2.3 hectares, the agreement enables the expansion of Queensland’s home of tennis, yet also includes two neighbouring land parcels that aim to create a residential and mixed-use precinct.

The site sits in the heart of a growing inner-south community, connected to the Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane River, and the newly upgraded Cross River Rail station.

Aligned with the Queensland Government’s recent ‘Delivering for 2032 and Beyond’ initiative, including the fast-tracked Tennis Centre expansion, the Committee for Brisbane has partnered with Tennis Australia to curate a special experience at the Brisbane International on Friday, 9 January 2026.

This event highlights Brisbane’s growing prominence as a world-class sporting and cultural destination.

Numbers are extremely limited, so if you’d like to express your interest in attending, please contact the team at admin@committeeforbrisbane.org.au

This month the Queensland Government announced a plan to release a development opportunity at Turbot Street on Brisbane CBD’s northern edge.

The release includes two sites totalling 8,900m² – a development-ready 5,200m² parcel and the heritage-listed Queensland Dental Hospital and College.

The Turbot Street site is a strategic parcel that has the capacity to help connect the CBD and neighbouring Spring Hill.

The Committee for Brisbane is a strong supporter of activating these vacant and underutilised sites, not just in terms of economic transformation but also in terms of the critical connectivity they can provide.

Proponents are encouraged to register their interest by 5 March 2026 and further information is available through Economic Development Queensland here.

This month celebrates 100 years of Brisbane buses.

In 1925, Brisbane had only 11 buses. Today, with more than 1200 in its fleet, Brisbane has one of the largest public transport fleets in the country.

Around 250,000 people use Brisbane’s buses every day, which amounts to over 80 million trips per year.

Buses will continue to be a key part of creating an accessible and well-connected Brisbane and we look forward to a 100 more years!

For more information please visit Brisbane City Council here.

On 11 December, the Committee for Brisbane team came together for a full day of learning, connection and celebration as part of our annual end-of-year Team Day.

We were delighted to be hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of our valued members, who generously provided their space for what proved to be an energising and insightful morning session. The team was grateful to be joined by leadership and organisational development specialist Vanya Hinton, who guided us through a detailed DISC behavioural analysis workshop.

The session provided a deep dive into how each of us naturally communicates, problem-solves, and collaborates. By exploring our collective DISC profiles and recognising that we each bring a different personality style, we gained a clearer understanding of how our unique strengths complement one another. This diversity not only enriches our team dynamic but also equips us to work more cohesively, communicate more effectively, and ultimately foster greater happiness and success across the organisation. Vanya’s expertise and engaging facilitation style made the morning both enlightening and practical, giving us tools we can apply immediately in our day-to-day interactions.

In the afternoon, the team swapped the boardroom for the bowling alley as we headed out for a fun and friendly bowling session to celebrate the end of the year. Laughter, a little healthy competition, and plenty of festive spirit made for an enjoyable Christmas breakup and a well-earned chance to relax together after a productive year.

It was a wonderful day that strengthened our sense of connection and set a positive tone for the year ahead. Thank you again to PwC for hosting, and to Vanya Hinton for guiding us through such a valuable team development experience.