Government to keep Games review advice secret for more than a month

The state government will have the results of its 100-day Olympic venue and governance review for more than a month before they are made public, it was revealed in Queensland parliament on Tuesday.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie told parliament the public would not see the final report for more than two weeks after he received it. Instead, it would be discussed with “stakeholders” behind closed doors.

In accordance with the review’s terms of reference, however, a draft report was expected to be on the deputy premier’s desk by the end of this week, meaning Bleijie would have had its advice for more than a month before it was made public.

Bleijie said the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority’s (GIICA) final report would be delivered to him on March 8. The LNP government would then spend two weeks in private stakeholder meetings.

“The [International Olympic Committee], the president of the organising committee, our local government host city, and the Commonwealth government will be briefed on the proposed delivery plan so we are in lock-step together on the journey ahead to 2032,” he told parliament.

Cabinet was expected to sign off on the delivery plan on March 24, ahead of its public release the next day.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie in state parliament on Tuesday.Credit: Jamila Filippone

“On the 25th of March, all will be revealed,” Bleijie said.

“Queenslanders no longer want to be embarrassed on the world stage. We will deliver a 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games our state can be proud of, and showcase on the world stage what makes us a great state.”

Comment has been sought from federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, one of the state government’s partners in venue delivery.

At the end of the feedback period last month, GIICA announced more than 5000 submissions had been received, several of which have been highlighted by this masthead.

“The large volume and quality of the submissions from across the state is an impressive outcome for the Authority and the 100 Day Review, and a reminder of how passionate Queenslanders are about the opportunities that can be linked to delivering this historic event,” GIICA chairman Stephen Conry said at the time.

The most mentioned topic among the submissions was the debate about Brisbane’s new centrepiece stadium, with suggestions for and against Victoria Park, along with a proposal for a new Gabba West stadium.

There were also many submissions about the locations of other major and minor venues, including a swimming centre at Mount Coot-tha or Victoria Park, and a secondary rectangular stadium at Perry Park to complement the larger Suncorp Stadium.

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