What a month it has been for Brisbane.

There is a genuine sense that our city is stepping onto a bigger stage, and nowhere was that more evident than the unveiling of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games emblems at a Committee for Brisbane event on 5 October. Like many Brisbies, we absolutely love them. Bold, distinctive and full of energy, they capture something of the confidence and optimism that is building across our city and the Brisbane city-region. As we move closer to 2032, they give us a powerful symbol to rally behind and a visual identity that reflects Brisbane’s unique character and Queensland heritage.

It’s also been rewarding to see ideas championed by the Committee gain real traction through The Courier-Mail’s Future Brisbane campaign. Over recent weeks, two of the Committee’s long-standing priorities have attracted significant attention: recognising the value of our dawn economy and establishing a single coordinating authority for the Brisbane River. The State Government has now announced work to investigate a single Brisbane River authority following the campaign and the release of the Committee’s river report, a positive step towards unlocking one of Brisbane’s greatest assets.

As we celebrate Brisbane’s future, we also have an opportunity this month to reflect on our history. On 30 October we mark Brisbane Day, commemorating the commencement of the City of Brisbane Act 1924, which established the framework for the creation of Greater Brisbane. More than a century later, that decision remains one of the most important moments in our city’s development and a reminder of the value of taking a long-term view of Brisbane’s future.

The next few weeks are also important ones for the Committee. Our AGM will be held on 18 November, with members considering nominations for up to seven Director positions on our Board. Thank you to everyone who has nominated. The strength of interest from members reflects the commitment and expertise that exists across the Committee network. Nominations for our Reference Groups will open shortly after the AGM, and we encourage members to get involved.

Before then, we’ll come together for our final event of the year, the launch of our Inner City Vitality Report and discussion on The City We Want, on 17 November. It feels like the perfect conversation to close out what has been a remarkable year for Brisbane, focusing on how we build a city that remains vibrant, liveable and globally competitive as we continue to grow.

Finally, many of you will know Anna Havers, our Commercial Assistant and friendly face of the Committee for Brisbane, always ready and willing to help out our members. We are excited that Anna will commence maternity leave at the end of the year, and we wish her all the best for the exciting and rewarding journey ahead! While Anna is on leave, we will be looking for someone keen to take on a six-month Commercial Assistant contract. If you, or someone you know, would be a great fit for the Committee for Brisbane team, please encourage them to contact me directly at jen@committeeforbrisbane.org.au to register their interest.

As always, thank you for your support of the Committee and our work to advocate for a better Brisbane. I look forward to seeing many of you over the coming weeks as we celebrate Brisbane Day, City Vitality and another successful year for our city.

On Monday 5 October, Brisbane’s journey to 2032 reached another exciting milestone.

The Committee for Brisbane was delighted to bring together leaders from across business, government, sport and the community at Howard Smith Wharves to celebrate the launch of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games emblems and hear from Brisbane 2032 President Andrew Liveris AO.

The atmosphere throughout the event was one of optimism, pride and excitement, as attendees got their first look at the new emblems and reflected on what they represent for our city’s future.

And we have to say, we loved them too.

Bold, vibrant and full of personality, the emblems beautifully capture Brisbane’s spirit. Playful and distinctly local, they reflect the creativity, energy and confidence that continue to define our city as we prepare to welcome the world in 2032.

Guests also heard insights from an outstanding line-up of speakers and panellists, including Korey Boddington OAM PLY, Libby Trickett OAM OLY, Federal Minister for Sport Anika Wells MP, Queensland Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander MP, and Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.

The Committee for Brisbane extends its sincere thanks to the Brisbane 2032 team, as well as event sponsors Airbnb and Deloitte, for helping make the occasion possible.

While the unveiling of the emblems marked a significant step on the road to 2032, the event also served as a timely reminder that the Games are about far more than sport. They present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase Brisbane to the world, accelerate investment, strengthen our communities and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

The excitement in the room was contagious, and there was a shared sense that Brisbane’s Olympic and Paralympic story is entering a new chapter.

If the new emblems are any indication, the road to 2032 will be colourful, creative and full of possibility.

Explore the Brisbane 2032 emblems and view the event photo gallery via the links below.

Uncover the emblems here. 

Check out the event photos here. 

Supported by

On 14 October, the Committee for Brisbane’s #BIG (Brisbane Idea Generators) emerging leaders network brought together members at McCullough Robertson to explore the future potential of Breakfast Creek, using Ross Street Park as a catalyst for broader precinct revitalisation.

Through a collaborative workshop, participants were challenged to think creatively about how small, achievable interventions could spark larger-scale transformation across the precinct. Discussions focused on identifying opportunities to enhance public spaces, improve connectivity and create more vibrant places that encourage community activity and engagement.

The workshop generated a diverse range of ideas, from practical improvements that could be implemented in the short term to more ambitious concepts that could shape the long-term future of the area. By bringing together emerging leaders from across the Committee’s membership, the session harnessed a broad range of perspectives and expertise to explore what a more active, connected and engaging Brekky Creek precinct could look like.

Importantly, the conversations reinforced the value of incremental change. Small interventions, thoughtfully delivered, can build momentum, demonstrate possibilities and create the foundations for more significant city-shaping outcomes over time.

The Committee for Brisbane thanks all participants for contributing their ideas and enthusiasm, as well as McCullough Robertson for hosting the event. Insights from the workshop will now help inform the next stage of the #BIG sub-committee’s work as it considers future opportunities for the Brekky Creek precinct.

The Committee for Brisbane recently welcomed our inaugural Platinum Partners for a special evening hosted by our Ambassador and Brisbane icon, Sallyanne Atkinson AO.

Set against the backdrop of Brisbane’s skyline, the gathering provided an opportunity to connect, exchange ideas and reflect on the important role collaboration plays in shaping our city’s future.

We extend our sincere thanks to Sallyanne for her generous hospitality, and to our Platinum Partners for their ongoing commitment, leadership and support. Their investment in Brisbane’s future is helping drive the conversations, partnerships and initiatives that will contribute to a more prosperous and connected city.

The evening highlighted the strength of our collective ambition and reinforced the value of bringing together leaders from across business, academia and industry to explore the opportunities ahead.

Our inaugural Platinum Partners:

• Accenture
• Arcadis
• Aurecon
• BDO
• Brisbane Airport
• Corrs Chambers Westgarth
• Deloitte
• Griffith University
• Legends Global
• QIC
• Queensland University of Technology
• Springfield City Group
• Stockwell
• The Courier-Mail
• The University of Queensland
• Transurban 

Thank you to each of our Platinum Partners for your continued partnership and contribution to Brisbane’s future.

The 2026 Annual General Meeting of the Committee for Brisbane Ltd will be held on Wednesday 18th November 2026 at 5pm (Brisbane time) at the offices of McCullough Robertson, Level 11, 66 Eagle Street, Brisbane.

Note: This meeting is in-person only.

Click here for the full details. 

Brisbane City Council (BCC) last week kicked off its Dawn Economy Plan, a step the Committee for Brisbane is proud to have championed. The plan builds on the Committee’s position paper, Brisbane’s Dawn Economy: A National Comparative Advantage, developed by the City Vision Sub-Committee, which argues that Brisbane may already have the strongest early-morning economy of any major Australian city.

BCC is now seeking input to help shape the plan, and members are encouraged to have their say through Council’s survey.

The Committee’s influence extends to the State Government, with Queensland’s State Planning Policy now explicitly calling out the dawn economy.

The evidence is compelling. The CCCLM Measuring the Australian Night-Time Economy 2026 report found that around 20–21 per cent of Brisbane businesses operate between 3am and 6am on weekdays, more than double Melbourne’s levels, while Ingenium research found almost one in three Brisbane food and beverage venues are open between 6am and 7am.

Rather than replicating Melbourne’s late-night model, the paper positions the dawn economy as a complement to the night-time economy and an opportunity for Brisbane to become Australia’s premier dawn-to-dusk city. Its priorities include a Brisbane 24-Hour Economy Strategy, a dedicated 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, promoting Brisbane as a global wellness capital and leveraging the 2032 Games to showcase the city’s morning culture.

The Committee thanks the City Vision Sub-Committee for its work on the paper. With both Council and the State Government now recognising the dawn economy, the Committee will continue working with government and industry to cement Brisbane’s place as a global leader in morning activity.

Last week, the Queensland Government committed to investigating the establishment of a single authority for the Brisbane River, a milestone the Committee for Brisbane is proud to have championed alongside its members and partners for more than four decades, giving proponents a clear front door to the city’s defining natural asset.

The Committee named this reform as a priority in its 2026 Advocacy Agenda. Working closely with members, it then developed and released its discussion paper, Unlocking the River, which featured as part of the Courier Mail’s Future Brisbane campaign, asking a simple question: will 2026 finally be the year? The Government’s commitment is a welcome response to this work, and the answer is yes.

The paper highlighted that, while the river underpins Brisbane’s economy, lifestyle and global identity, with the Port of Brisbane alone facilitating $78.8 billion in trade and more than 150 cruise ship calls each year, proponents today must navigate more than ten agencies and organisations, with no single front door. Tenure approvals can take 18 to 24 months and cannot be run concurrently with development approvals. Remarkably, many of these barriers are the same issues raised by the Committee’s predecessor, the Brisbane Development Association, through its River City Campaign in 1983–84 and again in the mid-1990s.

Establishing a Brisbane River Approvals Authority was the first of the paper’s five recommendations, alongside reforming tenure processes, releasing a jointly endorsed Brisbane River Vision, implementing a Digital River Atlas, and expanding river landing and transport infrastructure. Drawing on lessons from other jurisdictions, the paper showed that effective river activation requires leadership, coordination, a shared vision and a clear front door for proponents, and that a healthy river is not a constraint on activation, but the foundation that makes it possible.

With the 2032 Games on the horizon, the Committee for Brisbane thanks its members and all stakeholders who contributed to the paper and looks forward to working with the Queensland Government to see the new authority established and the paper’s remaining recommendations delivered.

Waterways remain one of the Committee’s strategic priorities, and this milestone is only the beginning. In the new year, the Committee will establish a new Reference Group, Waterways at the Heart, bringing together members and partners to guide the next phase of its advocacy and help ensure the Brisbane River and the city-region’s waterways remain at the heart of Brisbane’s future.

New research from Committee for Brisbane members Airbnb and Griffith University shows that short-term rental accommodation (STRA) does far more than serve tourists. The findings are timely, as the Committee’s Games Legacy and Growth Sub-Committee examines Brisbane’s accommodation needs ahead of the 2032 Games.

Drawing on a national survey of more than 2,200 people and interviews with guests, hosts and organisations, the More Than a Bed report found that STRA provides flexible accommodation for people relocating for work, moving between homes, undertaking repairs, recovering from disasters or escaping domestic and family violence. More than 80 per cent of respondents seeking accommodation after a natural disaster or domestic and family violence booked at very short notice, showing the value of options that can respond quickly in times of need.

Guests valued home-like amenities, flexibility and the ability to maintain everyday routines, while employers, universities, insurers, healthcare providers and community organisations all play a role in helping people access temporary accommodation.

The research builds on the Committee’s September event, Where Will Everyone Stay?, which explored how Brisbane will accommodate visitors, workers and residents ahead of the 2032 Games. The Committee thanks Airbnb and Griffith University for sharing their research, which will help inform the sub-committee’s thinking and broader conversations about housing choice and resilience across the Brisbane city-region.

View the report. 

Griffith University will host Making Major Sporting Events Matter on Thursday 12 November at its South Bank campus, bringing together leaders from government, industry, sport, community and academia to explore how major and mega sporting events can deliver meaningful and lasting social, economic, environmental and community impact.

Proudly supported by MI Global Partners and the Committee for Brisbane, this invitation-only symposium will feature an opening address by Chancellor The Hon. Andrew Fraser, international keynote, an executive panel exploring “Beyond the Finish Line: What Enduring Impact Can Mega Sporting Events Leave Behind?”, and a showcase of Griffith University’s Impact and Legacy Catapult Fund. The showcase will highlight collaborations between Griffith researchers and industry, government and community partners, demonstrating how targeted projects can translate ideas into practical initiatives, stronger partnerships and longer-term legacy outcomes.

The event reflects the shared commitment of Griffith University, MI Global Partners and the Committee for Brisbane to bringing diverse perspectives together and helping turn the opportunities presented by major and mega sporting events into enduring benefits for Brisbane, Queensland and beyond.

If you are interested in finding out more about this free event, please contact events@griffith.edu.au

Organisations are investing more in cybersecurity, but are they keeping pace with the changing threat landscape?

PwC’s 2027 Global Digital Trust Insights reveals that 83% of Australian security and finance leaders expect cyber budgets to increase, while only 38% of respondents strongly agree cyber risk is a standing board agenda item. With AI reshaping both cyber threats and defence, the findings highlight the growing importance of strong governance, trusted data and operational resilience.

Discover the findings shaping cybersecurity priorities and what business leaders can do to build resilience, strengthen trust and navigate an increasingly complex digital world.

Explore the 2027 Global Digital Trust Insights: Australian C-Suite playbook and findings

South Bank Corporation has taken the next step in planning the precinct’s future, releasing an Invitation for Prequalification to explore private sector partnerships that could help deliver the Future South Bank Master Plan.

For more than three decades, South Bank has evolved alongside Brisbane while retaining the public spaces, greenery, riverfront and cultural experiences that make it one of the city’s most valued destinations. With visitation growing, infrastructure ageing and the 2032 Games approaching, the precinct is preparing for its next chapter.

Released in 2024, the master plan outlines a long-term vision that builds on South Bank’s distinctive character. The prequalification process will test how partnerships could help revitalise a 4.8-hectare Opportunity Area by enhancing the public realm, renewing key water features, improving connectivity and delivering integrated commercial development.

Any future proposals will be assessed on their ability to improve public experiences, support the precinct’s mix of uses and preserve what makes South Bank special. They would also be subject to further consultation and the appropriate planning, governance and statutory approvals.

As Brisbane grows and prepares for 2032, South Bank’s renewal will be important to the city’s identity, economy and visitor offering. The Committee for Brisbane welcomes the opportunity to remain informed and contribute to discussions about the precinct’s long-term success.

Further information and project updates are available here. 

As Brisbane prepares for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Brisbane City Council has launched its Sports Diplomacy Program, creating new opportunities for international sporting organisations to connect with the city’s growing sport, business, research and innovation ecosystem.

The initiative includes a Pre-Games Training Partnership Prospectus and a dedicated Sporting Partnerships Concierge Service, helping organisations explore training camps, research collaborations, investment opportunities and long-term partnerships in the lead-up to 2032 and beyond.

Designed to support lasting relationships and legacy outcomes, the program reinforces Brisbane’s ambition to be more than a host city, positioning itself as a global destination for sport, innovation and international collaboration.

To support this, Brisbane City Council has launched the Business of Sport Program, including a Pre-Games Training Partnership Prospectus and Sporting Partnerships Concierge Service.

To learn more, contact the Sports Diplomacy team at 2032sportsdiplomacy@brisbane.qld.gov.au