How Queensland can deliver world-class infrastructure while creating enormous social impact
Queensland is on the cusp of a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games represent a global sporting spectacle and a catalyst for unprecedented infrastructure development, economic growth, and social impact across the state. Delivering an event of this magnitude – Queensland’s biggest-ever infrastructure investment - requires meticulous planning, advanced digital capabilities, and a workforce equipped to handle complex challenges.
Successfully navigating this complexity demands innovative approaches to data management, geospatial and digital engineering, and project delivery. This is where Australian Spatial Analytics (ASA), a leading work-integrated social enterprise, offers a powerful and unique value proposition.
The scale of the challenge
The challenges faced by government departments, councils, and consortia to deliver the Games involve the design, construction, and management of new and upgraded stadiums, transport networks, athlete villages, and supporting infrastructure across Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and regional hubs.
The Queensland Government's 2032 Delivery Plan outlines a significant pipeline of infrastructure projects. Key developments include:
• New and upgraded venues: like the new 63,000-seat Brisbane Stadium, upgrades to the National Aquatic Centre and Queensland Tennis Centre, and expansions of regional facilities like the Sunshine Coast Stadium and Barlow Park in Cairns.
• Athlete villages: significant residential developments planned for Brisbane (Bowen Hills), the Gold Coast (Royal Pines Resort), Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore), and Rockhampton, which will later be converted for community use.
• Transport enhancements: significant investments in public transport, road upgrades (including the Bruce Highway), and initiatives like the 'Wave' rail line on the Sunshine Coast, which are crucial for moving athletes, officials, and spectators.
• Supporting infrastructure: this includes upgrades to training facilities, essential services, and digital infrastructure required to support a modern Games.
These projects are geographically dispersed and intricately linked, requiring seamless coordination, precise spatial data, and robust digital models from conception to completion.
Geospatial and digital engineering: the foundation for Games success
At the heart of modern infrastructure delivery lies geospatial data and digital engineering. Geospatial technology provides the foundational 'where' – mapping existing conditions, planning optimal routes, identifying site constraints, and visualising the interconnectedness of projects across the landscape. Digital engineering, particularly Building Information Modelling (BIM), provides the 'what' and 'how' for individual assets – creating intelligent 3D models that contain comprehensive information about design, construction, and future asset management.
Integrating geospatial data with BIM (often called GeoBIM) is essential for large-scale, complex projects like Brisbane 2032. It enables better collaboration, clash detection, progress monitoring, asset management, and ultimately, more efficient and cost-effective delivery.
ASA specialises in these critical areas. Our teams are proficient in:
• Geospatial services: Including mapping, spatial analysis, data capture, and the creation of complex Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases essential for planning and logistics.
• Digital engineering and BIM: providing services ranging from 3D modelling and data integration to developing digital twins for infrastructure assets.
• Professional data services: high-volume, high-accuracy data processing and analysis services that underpin effective decision-making across all project stages, as per the diagram below.
ASA's proven capability: real-world project examples
Our work across various sectors demonstrates our capability in delivering the precise geospatial and digital engineering services required for Brisbane 2032. Examples of expertise include:
• Large-scale asset information management for utilities and government: foundational data work needed for mapping and minimising risk to existing underground infrastructure around the Games venues. Examples: Enzen/Energy Queensland electricity assets, Ventia fibre-optic cable rollout.
• Create detailed 3D Building Information Models for existing and proposed facilities, to aid the planning and visualisation, and digital twins for new stadiums or athlete villages. Example: Brisbane Airport Building Information Modelling, FSC Range St Leonards Boat Ramp upgrade.
• Processing and analysis of topographic information for site surveys, critical for environmental baseline studies and monitoring construction progress across multiple sites. Example: Fugro LiDAR processing and feature extraction.
• Development of comprehensive databases for asset management, directly applicable to managing the vast array of temporary and permanent Games infrastructure post-event. Examples: Acciona Engineering and Design As-builts, Sunshine Coast road and address validation.
These examples show ASA's ability to handle large volumes of complex data accurately and efficiently, skills directly relevant and transferable to the demands of the 2032 Games.
You can read more in our Brisbane 2032 Capability Statement.
Addressing critical challenges: skills, data sovereignty, and ethics
The lead-up to Brisbane 2032 will undoubtedly see increased demand for skilled professionals in geospatial, digital engineering, and data analysis, which are already experiencing skills shortages. This presents a challenge for government and industry to deliver the Brisbane 2032 vision.
ASA provides a powerful solution to this. By intentionally employing and training young neurodivergent adults, ASA taps into a skilled but often overlooked talent pool. This not only provides a dedicated, highly capable workforce for critical data-intensive tasks but also helps address the broader industry skills gap.
Furthermore, by utilising a local Australian workforce, ASA ensures:
• Data sovereignty: critical and sensitive project data remains securely within Australia, mitigating risks associated with offshore data processing and analysis.
• Modern slavery elimination: as a work-integrated social enterprise with a clear social mission and ethical employment practices, including paying full award wages, partnering with ASA eliminates modern slavery risks within the supply chain, aligning with increasing government and corporate due diligence requirements.
Beyond Games infrastructure: building a powerful social legacy
Brisbane 2032 offers a unique opportunity to build a social impact legacy that extends far beyond the sporting arenas. A key area where this can be profoundly felt is in improving employment outcomes for autistic and neurodivergent Australians. Currently, the unemployment rate for autistic people in Australia stands at a staggering 34% – more than three times that for other disability groups and almost ten times that of the national average. This represents a significant untapped talent pool and a considerable cost to governments through welfare support. For example, National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) costs for autism were $8.2 billion as of the 2023/2024 financial year, up 22% on the previous year.
The Games and the massive procurement associated with them can be a catalyst for change. By embedding social procurement into supply chains, government and major contractors can intentionally direct spending towards social enterprises like ASA. This not only secures high-quality geospatial and digital engineering services but also creates meaningful employment opportunities for neurodivergent individuals, while meeting the skills demand.
This also aligns directly with the Australian National Autism Strategy, which prioritises improving employment outcomes for autistic people. Every job created for an autistic person through Games-related procurement is not just a job; it's a step towards greater independence, reduced reliance on support services, and a significant potential saving for government budgets in the long term. For example, ASA alone saved governments $450,000 in the 2023/2024 financial year.
Paris 2024 provides a powerful precedent. They explicitly committed to directing 10% of the working hours generated by procurement to disadvantaged people, demonstrating that major global events can leverage their economic power to create significant social impact. Brisbane 2032 has the opportunity to set a new benchmark for social legacy.
Contributing to global sustainability goals
ASA's model is inherently aligned with key global objectives such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ASA directly contributes to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, by providing full and productive employment for a marginalised group, and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, by actively working to lower the unemployment rate for neurodivergent people. ASA’s work in sustainable infrastructure (SDG 9) is also supported by the quality data and digital services we provide.
ASA also meets the Queensland Government's 2032 Delivery Plan. This plan emphasises leveraging investment and integrated planning for long-term legacy. Partnering with ASA contributes to both these aims – leveraging procurement spend for social outcomes and integrating a socially conscious workforce into the delivery ecosystem.
A partnership for impact: engaging with ASA
Geoff Smith, CEO and co-founder of Australian Spatial Analytics, was named the 2025 Queensland Australian of the Year for his groundbreaking work in creating employment opportunities for autistic Australians. His recognition highlights the significant value and impact of ASA's model.
Government departments, particularly the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA), and Queensland Councils in South East Queensland (including Brisbane City Council, City of Moreton, Sunshine Coast Council, Gold Coast City Council, Logan City Council, and Scenic Rim Council), as well as major consulting and construction firms, can benefit by partnering with ASA to help deliver the technical requirements of the Games while simultaneously building a profound social legacy.
Conclusion: seizing the opportunity for a better future
Brisbane 2032 is more than a global sporting event. It is a chance to build a more inclusive, skilled, and prosperous Queensland. By partnering with ASA, government and industry can access high-quality geospatial and digital engineering services delivered by a talented, neurodivergent workforce. This partnership not only helps ensure the successful delivery of critical infrastructure but also creates a lasting social impact legacy, significantly reducing autistic unemployment and demonstrating a powerful commitment to social procurement and the objectives of the Australian National Autism Strategy.
Let's work together to ensure that Brisbane 2032 is not just a triumph on the field, but a victory for social inclusion and economic opportunity for all Queenslanders.
Please contact us today to start the journey.
