Plan for 20,000-seat stadium to temporarily replace Gabba kicks off Queensland funding row

Labor announces it will commit $46m towards $137m cost of upgrading Ekka showgrounds

• Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails,free app or daily news podcast

A proposal to upgrade Brisbane’s showgrounds with a temporary 20,000-seat stadium – to act as the city’s home of AFL and cricket while the Gabba is rebuilt – has quickly become a political football.

The Queensland government announced on Friday it would commit $46m to create the temporary stadium but requested the remaining $91m cost be shared between Brisbane city council, AFL and cricket authorities and the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland, which runs the annual Ekka show at the venue.