Opinion: Moment Qld’s Games planning descended into farce

The planning for the Olympics, less than nine years away, is now a complete farce beset by public bickering between officials, writes Matt Canavan.

After Anthony Albanese was elected prime minister last year, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk scrapped an independent committee that was organising the Brisbane Olympics.

The establishment of an independent committee had been a condition imposed by former Coalition prime minister Scott Morrison for providing financial support to the Games.

In place of the independent committee, Ms Palaszczuk centralised decision making for the Olympics in her own office and department.

Now the planning for the Olympics, less than nine years away, is a complete farce beset by public bickering between officials.

I have spent much of this year chairing a Senate inquiry into the Olympics. We did not receive a coherent reason for why Ms Palaszczuk decided to move away from the “Sydney” model of an independent organising committee for the Games. The Sydney 2000 Olympics remains one of the best Games ever.

We heard evidence from many involved that the model of an independent, multi-jurisdictional organising committee played a big role in keeping things on track.

Such a committee would provide a frank and confidential space for governments, officials and sporting bodies to thrash out the various issues involved in putting on the world’s biggest sporting event. Without such a body, we have seen the ugly spectacle of governments and sporting organisations shouting at each other through the media.

The Queensland minister even accused Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner of not returning his calls. But then why was Mr Schrinner only called the afternoon before the announcement of a new $150 million stadium, and for which the Queensland government was asking Mr Schrinner to kick in $50 million? If you want $50 million from someone, it is probably good manners to give them more than “you can sleep on it” notice for an answer.

The spending of millions, indeed billions, of public money deserves much greater discussion and co-operation between all levels of government before decisions are made.

The Queensland government seems to have become drunk on coal. They are raking in billions from an industry they want to shut down and are spending like there is no tomorrow.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with then prime minister Scott Morrison

The genesis of the spat over the new oval stadium at the RNA was the Queensland government’s earlier decision to spend $2.7 billion rebuilding the Gabba without doing a business case.

An interim report of our Senate committee recommended that the government pause the Gabba’s redevelopment and complete a proper business case.

It is not too late to do this, especially given the lack of consultation with the parents of children at East Brisbane State School (to be moved as part of the redevelopment) and that we have only now found out that even more money must be spent for a temporary home for cricket and AFL.

I live in Central Queensland and I have always supported the Olympics even though it will be in Brisbane.

The Brisbane Olympics, like Sydney in 2000, has the potential to make us proud to be Australians.

However, if the Olympics becomes all about Brisbane, people will soon lose faith and it will divide us instead of uniting us.

When Ms Palaszczuk announced the Brisbane Olympics, she promised that it would be a Games for all Queenslanders. It was a promise that she is now breaking by committing another $150 million to build another oval stadium, and a temporary one at that, in Brisbane.

Why shouldn’t we take the opportunity for our Queensland cricket and AFL teams to play in other parts of our great state. There is the new Carrara stadium just an hour south of Brisbane. There is another southwest of Brisbane at Ipswich. There are wonderful oval stadiums in Mackay and Cairns. By playing cricket and AFL in North Queensland, we could use this Olympics as an opportunity to promote the Great Barrier Reef and boost Queensland tourism.

The announcement of the Brisbane Olympics gave the Queensland government lots of goodwill from all Queenslanders.

In the space of two years they have used up almost all of that, and people are now calling for the Games to be scrapped. We cannot walk away from the Games now, because that would cause immeasurable damage to our international reputation.

Instead, what is needed is for all governments to get back in the same room and discuss how to deliver a Games that can be better than Sydney by making rational, long-term decisions in the best interests of all Australians.

Matt Canavan is an LNP senator for Queensland