Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has played down talk of a purpose built race track aimed at hosting the first ever night time Grand Prix, and luring Australia's round of the World Championship from Melbourne. Indeed, he suggests that some of the stories currently doing the rounds have been fed to the media by people with their own agenda. As if.

Referring to the proposed $650 million (Australian) venue, being planned by The i-METT (Integrated Motorsport Education Tourism and Technology) between the Gold Coast and Brisbane, Beattie told the Brisbane Times: "This is quality agricultural land. The area is the only inter-urban area between greater Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and it's outside the urban footprint.

"We've got to be careful what we do with this land," he added, referring to the fact that the designated area is outside the 'South East Queensland Regional Plan's Urban Footprint', which identifies land to be used provide for the region's urban development needs up to 2026.

Beattie said he believes the story has been given to the media in an attempt to force the government's hand into giving planning approval in what is an environmentally sensitive area.