The Queensland Government has passed new laws to attract major events and strengthen consumer protections.
Targeted amendments to the Major Sports Facilities and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 have cleared parliament, supporting efforts to secure more world-class sporting and entertainment events as the state prepares for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The changes are designed to improve event delivery, enhance consumer confidence, and strengthen Queensland’s position as a leading destination for major events.
Key measures include:
- Increasing penalties for ticket scalping from $3,000 to $22,531 for individuals and $17,000 to $113,492 for corporations
- Removing fines for purchasing tickets more than 10 per cent above the original price to encourage reporting of unlawful reselling
- Giving Stadiums Queensland greater powers to set special event rules at venues, including People First Stadium and Cbus Super Stadium, allowing concerts to finish at 10.30pm in line with Suncorp Stadium
- Introducing new measures to prevent unauthorised advertising, including the use of drones at major events
- Simplifying regulations under the Major Events Act 2014 to support large, multi-site and multi-day events
Queensland Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Tim Mander, said the amendments would reduce red tape and support growth in the events sector.
“The Queensland Government was committed to ensuring the state remained a world leader in event delivery,” Mander said.
“We wanted to secure Queensland’s place as the events capital of Australia and, with the 2032 Games approaching, it was important to seize every opportunity to attract world-class events.
“These changes allowed us to maximise the use of major sports facilities, support more concerts, and strengthen the events industry.
“Removing penalties for buyers, alongside tougher punishments for scalping, would encourage reporting and help Queensland remain competitive in attracting major events.
“We would continue working with local councils, stadium operators, event organisers and communities to ensure these changes delivered lasting benefits across the state.”
