Robots, redevelopment and the unexpected Olympic legacy twist

Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games are being sold as a once-in-a-generation opportunity. But alongside the excitement comes an uncomfortable reality: mega-events have a long history of leaving behind expensive, underused infrastructure once the closing ceremony is over.

Renowned investor Mark Carnegie thinks Queensland can avoid that trap – and solve a much bigger national problem at the same time.

His proposal is simple, ambitious, and bluntly pragmatic: build Brisbane’s athletes’ village as an aged care facility from the start, then use it temporarily to house Olympians before converting it into long-term care accommodation where robots support residents and staff.

In Carnegie’s words, the idea is to “build for aged care and then Airbnb it for the athletes.”

A different kind of Olympic legacy

The main athletes’ village is planned for the Brisbane Showgrounds at Bowen Hills, within walking distance of the new stadium. It is expected to house more than 10,000 athletes and officials.

Carnegie, through his Carnegie Catalyst Healthcare REIT, wants to fund, build and operate the village for the Games – then transition it into permanent aged care infrastructure.

The trust already owns 15 aged care facilities, and Carnegie says institutional investors, including the Australian Retirement Trust, are backing the model with close to $1 billion in retirement funds under management.

The pitch is clear: instead of pouring billions into temporary accommodation, Queensland could end up with much-needed aged care places that continue serving the community long after 2032.

“If we’re spending billions to host the Games, it makes sense to ensure Queenslanders see lasting benefits well beyond 2032,” Carnegie said.

The ageing challenge Australia cannot ignore

Australia’s ageing population is putting relentless pressure on the aged care system. Demand for places is growing, staffing shortages are worsening, and the cost of delivering care continues to rise.

Carnegie argues his plan tackles two issues at once:

• funding the massive infrastructure needed for the Olympics

• preparing for the country’s rapidly ageing future

And at the centre of his vision is automation.

Robots are coming – faster than expected

Carnegie believes robotics will become a vital part of retirement living and aged care delivery, taking inspiration from Japan, where robots are already used in care settings.

“I think the robots are coming a lot quicker than other people do at the moment,” he said.

A 2025 Productivity Commission report supports the broader premise, noting that new technologies could lift productivity in the care economy while improving quality and lowering costs. Routine tasks such as transporting linen and meals were highlighted as prime opportunities for robotic support.

Carnegie sees an even wider role for automation, including:

• cleaning bathrooms

• moving residents safely between rooms

• supporting staff with physical tasks

• providing companionship for socially isolated residents

Designing for the future, not retrofitting the past

The key difference in Carnegie’s proposal is that robotics would not be added later as an afterthought.

Instead, the village would be designed from day one with automation in mind – wider corridors, integrated systems, layouts suited to robotic transport and assistive technology.

He likened retrofitting robotics into old buildings to “trying to stick an electric motor inside an internal combustion car.”

If Queensland anticipates what a modern retirement living environment will look like in 2035, Carnegie argues, the state could save enormous costs over the life of the asset.

Avoiding another Rio

The world has seen what happens when Olympic infrastructure has no long-term purpose. Rio’s 2016 Games left behind abandoned venues and unused developments.

Other cities have managed better. Sydney’s 2000 athletes’ village was converted into residential apartments, now selling for well over $750,000.

Carnegie’s plan aims to ensure Brisbane’s Games deliver genuine legacy, not expensive redundancy.

Matthew Beach, partner at M.H. Carnegie & Co, described the proposal as financially disciplined and suited to long-term institutional investment.

“By designing the villages from day one with post-Games use in mind, we can reduce waste, lower whole-of-life costs and deliver stable, high-quality care assets,” he said.

What happens next?

Carnegie Catalyst Healthcare will now formally engage with the Queensland government to progress the proposal. Cost estimates are still unclear, particularly as additional villages are planned for the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.

But the underlying idea is already turning heads: an Olympic village that becomes a high-tech aged care community, built for residents first and athletes second.

A straight-talking legacy idea

This proposal cuts through the usual Olympic gloss. It recognises that the real legacy Queensland needs is not more empty buildings – it’s sustainable aged care capacity, designed for the workforce realities of the future.

Robots roaming the halls may sound futuristic, but the ageing challenge is here right now. Planning ahead could be the smartest move Brisbane makes on the road to 2032.

Image supplied: Queensland government