Sunshine state ski jump plan axed

Queensland’s sports minister has halted a $6.1 million plan to build a winter Olympic ski jump facility in Brisbane.

Steve Dickson says plans for the training facility at Sleeman Sports Complex were found “buried in the former Labor government’s cache of debt”.

He says he cancelled the project without hesitation.

“The fact that a winter Olympic training venue was considered a priority at a time when 96 per cent of the Labor government’s capital spending programs were being sourced through debt is simply beyond belief,” Mr Dickson said.

The 36 metre high, 10 metre wide facility would have used the centre’s new 50 metre swimming pool as a landing area.

Mr Dickson says all the facility would have achieved was to put a brand new pool off limits for swimmers.

The state government was set to contribute $2.6 million to build the facility, with the balance being paid by the Commonwealth.

Queensland would have been responsible for all management and maintenance costs, the minister says.

“This is a luxury item the people of Queensland can neither afford nor need when the state is facing such dire economic circumstances,” he said.

An interim report from an audit of the state’s finances on Friday found debt will balloon to $100 billion by 2018/19 if drastic action isn’t taken.

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