Going for Gold: The Deloitte Report on Brisbane 2032's Economic Potential

We've all heard the headline figures around Brisbane 2032 - and they are genuinely significant. But this report from Deloitte Access Economics, Going for Gold: The Economic Opportunity for the Taking, goes a step further than most.

Rather than simply measuring the impact of the Games themselves, it asks a more interesting question: what could Brisbane become if we use this moment as a catalyst for lasting economic reform?

The answer, according to Deloitte's modelling, is a $70 billion economic opportunity for Australia over the twenty years from 2032 to 2052 - with South East Queensland set to capture the lion's share, at $39.5 billion. But the report is quick to make something clear: this won't happen automatically.

As Deloitte puts it, growth is not preordained - it requires collective intent. The Games are the starting gun, not the finish line. The report frames the opportunity across three interconnected pillars.

People - the potential for Brisbane 2032 to inspire more active, healthier communities, and to draw 50,000 volunteers into roles that build skills and long-term workforce participation.

Places - accelerated infrastructure investment connecting Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast into a genuine mega-region.

And Perception - the brand dividend that comes from hosting the world's largest sporting event, drawing tourism, exports, and foreign direct investment to a region already on the global radar.

For northside businesses, this matters in practical terms. A growing, better-connected South East Queensland means a larger local market. A stronger Queensland brand globally means more visitors spending in our precincts, more investment flowing into our sectors, and more opportunities to supply the projects and services that a city in transformation demands.

The report also draws a meaningful parallel with Expo '88 - an event that didn't just change Brisbane's skyline but reshaped its confidence and economic identity, sparking investment in tourism and biotechnology that still drives growth across the state today. Brisbane 2032 has the potential to do the same, and at greater scale.

We'd encourage every northside business owner to spend some time with this report. Not because the numbers are big - they are - but because it makes a compelling case for why the next seven years are about positioning, not waiting.

You can read the report here.