Council
11 April, 2025
SEQ vs world cities
AN in-depth analysis of well-known regions across the world has set the benchmark for Moreton Bay, Somerset, and southeast Queensland to secure a lasting legacy before, during, and after the Brisbane 2032 Games.
The independent Benchmarking ‘South East Queensland (SEQ) – in a global context’ report has emphasised the importance of improving connectivity, collaboration, and the region’s global profile.
The report was launched on March 27, at a joint Council of Mayors (SEQ) and Committee for Brisbane event, and compared South East Queensland regions, including Moreton Bay and Somerset, to similar areas worldwide.
The report shows South East Queensland is expected to grow three times faster than regions analysed in the report over the next 20 years. This growth is a key factor driving the region’s economic growth rather than growing productivity, with the report highlighting a need to boost the region’s profile to attract investment and retain innovative talent.
The report also identified a need for continued investment in transport, with the region’s weekday bus and train services 28 percent less frequent than the four largest cities analysed in the report.
The new international analysis builds on a 2017 benchmark comparing south east Queensland against similar destinations around the world.
The comparative analysis looks at regions of similar size, attributes, and functions to south east Queensland, including; Greater Vancouver, Seattle-Puget Sound, San Diego Region, South East Florida, Greater Manchester, South Holland Region, Stockholm Region, Hamburg Region, Barcelona Region, Busan City Region, and Singapore.
Council of Mayors (SEQ) Chair, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, emphasised the importance of looking at similar cities across the world “to understand how they are addressing both challenges and opportunities”.
“South east Queensland is relatively unknown compared to other global cities and the Brisbane 2032 Games present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to promote our region to the world,” he said.
“The mayors of South East Queensland first pursued an Olympic and Paralympic Games to deliver a lasting legacy for our residents.
“By working together with all levels of government and the private sector we can attract more investment, boost productivity and keep our region moving for decades to come.
“We want to learn world-leading practices and work with all levels of government to deliver long-term legacies today, before the 2032 Games and beyond.”
To view the report, visit: www.seqmayors.qld.gov.au
